Artemis 2 crew Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen and Reid Weisman wearing Solar Eclipse glasses on board the Orion capsule named Integrity. On the right, the outbound patch on top of the return patch. The Earth behind the crew, as seen from Orion’s window (NASA, 2026).
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission successfully completed a flyby to the Moon and returned safely after a 9-day historical mission. The crew departed from Florida, USA and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
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Updates
11 Apr 2026: Artemis 2 Back to Huston.10 Apr 2026: Artemis 2 Returns to Earth.
09 Apr 2026: Questions and Answers.
06 Apr 2026: Closest to the Moon day.
06 Apr 2026: Naming new craters and Flyby.
Background
NASA's Artemis Programme.Artemis plans for the Moon.
Moonwalkers.
Artemis Accords.
Artemis Goddess of the Moon.
UPDATES
Artemis 2 returns to Huston, Texas
– 11 April 2026
On 11 April 2026, the crew from Artemis 2 held a news conference at Ellington Field, Huston, Texas, USA.
The event was opened by Norm Knight, NASA Flight Operations Director, followed by Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson Space Centre Director, and finally, Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator who welcomed the Artemis 2 crew back to the stage where they were greeted by a standing ovation.
Mr Isaacman thanked President Donald Trump and NASA partners in Congress, the agency’s workforce, the international partners including the European and Canadian Space agencies, and the American Taxpayers.
“There is no doubt that there is a price to pay when it comes to exploring the Cosmos, but there is also a return, in the jobs it creates, the technologies that improve life on Earth and the inspiration it sparks on those who choose to follow” (Jared Isaacman, 2026).
Astronaut Christina Koch described a crew as a team where everyone has the same needs, must face the same threats and must care for each other no matter what because they are in the same journey. When watching the Earth suspended alone in the blackness of space, she realised that Planet Earth is analogous to a crew.
Jeremy Hansen was praised by Lisa Campbell, Canadian Space Agency President, for representing “the best of what it means to be Canadian, exemplifying the deepest values of discipline, humility and hard work”.
US Representative Chairman Brian Babin, representing the US Congress and the district of Texas, said that the Artemis 2 crew inspired not only America but the entire World and generations of humans that will come after them.
“The United States is ready for this challenge and ready to lead. As the US leads in space, they carry the principles of Freedom, Innovation and Opportunity” (Brian Babin, 2026).
Michael Cloud, US Representative of the congressional district of Texas thanked the crew for inspiring everyone again.
At the end of the conference, Commander Reid Weisman addressed the NASA astronauts-in-training who had attended the event and promised that the Artemis 2 crew would support them at every step of the way in their journey to the Moon.
Artemis 2 Crew on stage, presented by Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, Huston, Texas, USA (NASA, 11 April 2026).
Artemis 2 astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen and Victor Glover deliver their personal messages to the world,Huston, Texas, USA (NASA, 11 April 2026).
Speakers at the Welcome Back Artemis 2 event: Norm Knight, Jared Isaacman, Vanessa Wyche, Lisa Campbell, Brian Babin and Michael Cloud,Huston, Texas, USA (NASA, 11 April 2026).
Watch the full video “Artemis II Crew returns to Huston” (1hr).
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Artemis 2 returns to Earth – 10 April 2026
The crew of Artemis 2 returned to Earth with a successful splashdown in the Pacific ocean in the evening of 10 April 2026.
During the Artemis 1 mission, re-entry consisted in bouncing off the atmosphere to reduce speed, resulting in 20 minutes of exposure to extreme heat, and some damage to the tiles. Learning from that experience, Artemis 2 went for a direct re-entry reducing thermal exposure to 13 minutes, which was more protective to the heat shield.
Descent and landing critical events
- Separation of the Crew Module Orion from the European Service Module (37min before splashdown).
- Orion performs a Raise Burn to position the module in correct orientation for re-entry.
- Orion begins entry into the atmosphere at 121km of altitude (13min before splashdown).
- Jettison of the Forward Bay Cover at 10km of altitude to expose parachute system.
- Parachutes: Drogues, Pilots and Main, are deployed in sequence starting at 6km, 2km and 1.5km respectively.
- Splashdown on the Pacific Ocean.
- Uprighting system deploys to stabilise the capsule on the surface.
- Recovery.
Separation from the Service Module
Separation of the Orion capsule from the Service Module was successfully completed 37min before splashdown as the crew of Artemis 2 continued their journey towards the atmosphere.
The European Service Module (ESM) was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and controlled from the ESA Eagle Control Room at the ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
Visualisations: Orion Spacecraft with the Crew Module closer to Earth and the ESM with solar panels deployed.Right: Separation of crew module from ESM. Below: ESA’s Eagle Control Room, Noordwijk, Netherlands (NASA, ESA, 2026).
The ESM supports the crew module of the Orion Spacecraft from launch through to separation prior re-entry, after which the module is discarded. It provides propulsion for orbital transfer and attitude control and high-altitude ascent aborts. The module also holds water and oxygen and generates and stores electrical power using a solar panel array. It maintains the temperature of the vehicle and can hold unpressurised cargo and scientific payloads. It is designed to support the crew for 21 days.
This module is 5m in diameter and 4m in length, made of aluminium-lithium alloy and uses a refurbished AJ10-190 engine that was previously used by the Space Shuttle. Overall, in comparison with the Apollo service module, the ESM generates twice the electricity (11.2kW) weights 40% less (15 tonnes), it supports a larger (45%) habitable volume but carries 50% less propellant (8 tonnes). It was built by Airbus in Bremen, Germany.
European Service Module (ESM) main components and a view of its single AJ10-190 engine and the 8 smaller R-4D engines (ESA, 2023).
During the Artemis 2 mission, Pilot Victor Glover manually controlled the ESM for 70 minutes to test the controls and practice docking manoeuvres, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen also tested the controls for a shorter time. The main engine was only used for less than 6 minutes for Trans Lunar Injection (TLI), attitude changes were carried out by the 8 smaller R-4D secondary engines.
Return Burn and Re-entry
After a short Return Trajectory Correction (RTC-3) burn, Orion made the final adjustment to her orientation aiming at her re-entry path, gradually speeding up to 39,500 kph and colliding with increasing amounts of atmosphere particles, causing friction and generating temperatures as high as 2,700° C with the formation of plasma. During this period, there was a 6-minute communications blackout.
Visualisation of re-entry and monitoring of the same at Mission Control Centre during communications blackout (NASA, 2026).
Parachutes and Splashdown
Once inside the atmosphere, Orion’s free-fall was slowed down by the deployment of the first set of Drogue Parachutes, followed by a set of small Pilot Parachutes that preceded the three 49-metre in diameter Main Parachutes, which slowed down the vehicle to 30 kph before splashing down onto the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, 2 hours before sunset on 10 April 2026.
The splashdown of Orion capsule marked the end of the Artemis 2 mission, around the Moon and back, with a total duration of 9 days, 1 hour and 31 minutes since lift off (01 to 10 April 2026).
Artemis 2’s Orion crew capsule near the surface and at splashdown.Notice drogue parachutes and tip of the capsule in the background (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Shortly after splashdown a set of bags inflated with helium to keep the capsule upright and on the surface.
Several Navy vessels that were waiting in the vicinity kept their distance until the capsule settled down and any gases produced during descent vented.
Recovery
US Navy ship USS John P. Murtha (www.cruisingearth.com, 2026).The vessel in charge of recovery was the USS John P. Murtha, an amphibious transport dock ship of the United States Navy (named after Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania). The vessel carried two MH-60S Seahawk helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 to collect the Artemis 2 crew.
Once the capsule was stable, Navy divers approached and secured the inflatable porch, while others secured the parachutes. The astronauts were helped onto one of the boats, taken to the open sea and hoisted into helicopters in pairs.
Crew of Artemis 2 on inflatable boat escorted from the Orion Capsule (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Astronaut from Artemis 2 crew is air lifted to a Seahawk helicopter from the recovery inflatable boat (NASA, 10 April 2026).
The helicopters landed on the ship’s platform and once the area was safe the astronauts were greeted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman before visiting the medical station for a health check.
MH-60S Seahawk helicopters on the platform of the Navy’s dock ship USS John P. Murtha (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Artemis 2 crew onboard USS John Murtha after recovery: Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover and Christina Koch (NASA, 10 April 2026).
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomes the crew of Artemis 2 aboard the USS John P. Murtha (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Watch the full video “Artemis II Return and Splashdown” (4hr).
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Q & A returning from the Moon – Flight Day 7 – 8 April 2026
Science team questions
Dr Kelsey Young, Science Lead at NASA asked the following questions to the crew about their observations during the Moon Flyby:
- Q 1: About the 3 impact flashes described in the dark side of the moon: When and where? Duration, colour?
- A: Bluish white, about the size of a star, milliseconds of duration. Seen by all.
- Q 2: What was your experience of Galactic ray flashes?
- A: They have seen dozen at night but were all different.
- Q 3: Did galactic flashes appear during the eclipse?
- A: 5min after the eclipse, we looked for backflashes.
- Q 4: How many flashes seen during the eclipse?
- A: 4 in total.
- Q 5: Was lofted dust possibly seen at Earth/Moon interface?
- A: Before the centre of the crescent, earthrise. They appeared as a little glow just before the earth crescent.
- Q 6: As the bright Earth came closer to the Moon, how did it change the darkness of the Moon?
- A: Earth looked out of place for how bright it was against the blackness of the universe.
- Q 7: Did the quality of colour of things around affected your perception?
- A: The adjustment of the human eye is dynamic, when you stare at it, you notice top of the earth changing from bright grey to bright brown. The cloud cover is very bright; you can hardly make out the surface. While looking at PCs and then back to the outside, required re-adjustment. White surfaces inside the cabin reflect on the inside of the window interfering with observations and pictures. They used a black T-shirt to cover reflections. They recommend a dark room behind the observers. When Earth touched the Moon, it looked brighter, but once the crescent went further down, it was normal.
- Q 8: About the Ohm crater; were there other features besides the ejector rays and central peak?
- A: The ejecta is always there. No drastic change in brown-grey colour. Unlike Oriental that changed more during transit across the moon. The walls have layers with depth but because of the full light, no shadows were seen, making them difficult to define.
25 Years of ISS
In 2026, NASA celebrated 25 years of continuous human presence in space, with astronaut missions taking overlapping turns to live and work at ISS.
To celebrate this milestone, Orion took to the Moon several items of historical significance, including the American Flag that was to be planted on the moon by Apollo 18, a mission that never took place. The flag was on display at NASA headquarters in Washington DC and now has made it to the Moon after over 50 years.
Another flag that was flown back to space was that of the first Shuttle flight, mission STS-1 in 1981. That same flag went to space again with the last Shuttle flight, mission STS-135 that took Expedition 28 crew to the ISS in 2011. It was flown again in 2020 by Expedition 63 onboard SpaceX Demo2.
American Flag flown to Space by STS-1 (April 1981), STS 135 (July 2011), SpaceX Demo2 & Expedition 63 (May 2020) (NASA, 2026).
Orion also carried a modern digital cargo, the names of 5 million people on a digital drive to the Moon.
On the return trip, when the Orion Space Capsule was at 345,000 km from the Earth and had left the Moon 107,000 km behind, the Artemis 2 crew made a historic call to the crew of mission 74-75 at ISS. This was the first time a mission to the moon talks to another spacecraft in space. Astronauts compared sentiments of being away from the Earth despite the large difference in distance (ISS is at 400 km of altitude).
First spaceship to spaceship communication between ISS Expedition 74 and Artemis 2 (NASA, 08 April 2026).
Watch the full video “Artemis II Flight Day 7” (07 April 2026) (24hr).
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Closest to the Moon. Flight day 6 - 06 April 2026
At 4 days 6 hr into the mission, the Artemis 2 crew was 346,000 km away from Earth and 20,500 km close to the Moon. The Orion Spacecraft and its crew had entered the Lunar Sphere of Influence (SOI), where the gravity of the moon is stronger than that of the Earth and the Sun. The Lunar SOI extends 66,000 km from the centre of the Moon.
Early that day, for Crew Wakeup, the crew received a message from Astronaut Jim Lovell, recorded for the mission before his passing in 2025. Jim Lovell was part of the crew of Gemini 7 (1965), Gemini 12 (1966), Apollo 8 (1968), and Apollo 13 (1970) missions.
Astronaut Jim Lovell.Will be remembered (1928-2025) (NASA, 2025).
“Hello, Artemis II! This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighbourhood!
When Frank Borman, Bill Anders, and I orbited the Moon on Apollo 8, we got humanity’s first up-close look at the Moon and got a view of the home planet that inspired and united people around the world. I’m proud to pass that torch on to you, as you swing around the Moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars … for the benefit of all. It’s a historic day, and I know how busy you’ll be. But don’t forget to enjoy the view. So, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, and all the great teams supporting you. Good luck and Godspeed from all of us here on the good Earth.” (Jim Lovell, 2025).
To celebrate Jim Lovell’s contribution to space exploration, the Artemis 2 crew flew an Apollo 8 mission patch, sent by the Lovell’s family. This was the original mission patch printed on silk that flew around the Moon with Apollo 8 in 1968.
Artemis 2 was the modern version of Apollo 8, which also reached the moon but studied the Lunar surface for 10 orbits in 20 hours.
The famous “Earthrise” photograph taken by astronaut William Anders on 24 December 1968 is a constant reminder of human achievement and was the inspiration for the design of Artemis 2’s patch.
The famous “Earthrise” photo taken during Apollo 8 (original orientation with Lunar North up) inspired the design of Artemis 2 mission patch(Astronaut William Anders, taken on Christmas Eve 1968; NASA,2026).
Earthrise photo taken 58 years later by Artemis 2 (NASA, 2026).
In Life's 2003 book “100 Photographs that Changed the World”, wilderness photographer Galen Rowell called Earthrise "the most influential environmental photograph ever taken".
Watch the story behind one of the most iconic images of the Apollo programme (5min).
Furthest humans away from Earth
On 15 April 1970, during Apollo 13 mission, the crew set the record for the farthest distance humans had ever travelled from Earth. Commander Jim Lovell, Command module pilot Jack Swagger and Lunar Module pilot Fred Haze flew 400,171 km (248,655 statute miles) away from Earth.
On 06 April 2026, the crew of Artemis 2 surpassed that record and set a new one, travelling to 406,771 km from Earth.
Apollo 13 launched on 11 April 1970 aiming for the third Moon landing of the Apollo space programme, but landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module exploded 2 days into the mission, disabling the electrical and life support systems. The crew looped around the moon and returned to Earth, splashing down 6 days after launch.
Apollo 13 crew: Jim Lovell, Jack Swagger and Fred Haze, flew to the Moon in 1970.Their service module suffered an explosion (right) forcing them to return (NASA, 2026).
Apollo 13, the movie
The extraordinary events and ingenuity required to save the mission from disaster was the inspiration of the 1995 film “Apollo 13” directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan. The score was composed and conducted by James Horner.
Produced by Imagine Entertainment on a budget of US$52 million and distributed by Universal Pictures, the movie made US$355 million at the box office.
The movie reached number one at the box office in 1995 and the following year won “Best” awards for: Picture, Film editing, Sound, Production design, Special visual effects, Directorial achievement, Motion picture producer, Outstanding performance by actor in supporting role (Ed Harris), Outstanding performance by a cast, Family feature, AFI’s 100 years 100 movie quotes (for “Huston, we have a problem”).
The movie “Apollo 13” directed by Ron Howard, starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton premiered in 1995 (Imagine Entertainment, 1995).
Naming new craters - 06 April 2026
The crew described 3 unnamed craters on the Moon and proposed names for 2 of them.
The first one was a crater located North of the Oriental Basin, almost equidistant to the Ohm crater. They proposed to name this crater Integrity”, after their Orion Spacecraft that took them to the moon.
For the second crater, located West of Ohm, in the transition between light and dark and sometimes visible from Earth, the crew proposed the name Carroll, after Reid Wiseman’s wife and mother of Katy and Allie. Carroll died from cancer in 2020 when Reid and the Artemis 2 crew were training to go to the Moon.
Location of the 3 new craters. Integrity is North of the Orientale Basin and Northwest to it is Carroll (NASA, 2026).
Reid and Carroll Wiseman at the beach. Carroll passed away in 2020 (NASA, 2026).
After a minute of silence at the control room in remembrance of Carroll Wiseman, the crew prepared for their Lunar Flyby.
Lunar Flyby – 06 April 2026
The Artemis 2 crew had 6 hours of observations allotted during the flyby. There was an expected loss of communications for 40 minutes while Orion travelled across the far side of the Moon. During this period, the closest the crew were to the surface of the Moon was 6,545 km.
The astronauts took turns looking out the windows in pairs, while one took pictures, the other recorded observations on their tablet or Portable Computing Device (PCD). Photographs were taken using a Nikkor 82-400mm lens mounted on a D5 Nikon camera (see Nikon to the Moon below). They also made voice recordings of their comments and observations to be analysed by the science team. While two astronauts were in observation duty, the other two continued performing science experiments.
The crew were instructed to look for flashes of light in the dark side of the Moon, produced by particles impacting the surface and creating craters. Larger craters appear as shiny white areas that stand out on the grey lunar surface. The crew also looked for Lofted Lunar Dust that becomes visible just before Earthrise.
The following image shows the astronauts’ timetable for the Lunar Flyby on 06 April 2026. The astronaut pairs changed roles every hour to complete the list of tasks on the left.
Lunar flyby: List of tasks and timetable of rotations for 06 April 2026 (NASA, 2026).
For each feature the astronauts were asked to observe, take notes and comment on the characteristics shown on the right.
Lunar flyby: List of characteristics to observe for each feature examined (NASA, 2026).
Coming out from the other side of the Moon, the crew begun their journey home, marked by the Mission Control Room Team by flipping their Mission Patches from “Destination Moon with the Earth behind” to “Destination Earth with the Moon behind”, as announced by the Capcom Jenny Gibbons. During the last launch simulation, the crew paid a visit to the Artemis 2 control room in Huston, Texas and gave every member a patch for their workstations.
Leah Cheshier Mustachio, from NASA Communications, shows the two sides of the Artemis 2 Mission Patch,one for the outbound flight (Earth behind) and the other for the return (Moon behind) (NASA, 2026).
Solar Eclipse – 06 April 2026
After the Lunar Flyby, the crew of Artemis 2 went through a solar eclipse with the Moon travelling in front of the Sun, covering it completely. When this is seen from Earth, the Moon and the Sun have nearly the same diameter forming a Corona of light when they are fully aligned. This time, as they are close to the Moon, this natural satellite is at least 10 times larger than the Sun.
The astronauts could hardly find words to describe what they were witnessing. Despite the sun being completely on the other side, the Moon was not completely dark as expected but a dim grey in which details could still be seen. The Earth appeared to one side, shining strongly against the darkness of the universe.
Solar eclipse with the moon in almost total darkness.Sunlight spills around the Moon showing its outline against the dark universe while the stars become prominent and colourful (NASA, 06 April 2026).
During the solar eclipse, the crew reported seeing at least 3 impact flashes near and South of the equator on the Earth-side of the Moon, meaning they were potentially visible from Earth. The science team were surprised, amazed and elated because this finding demonstrates that the Lunar surface is constantly changing due to frequent bombardment by particles from space.
Capcom Kelsea Young, lead of the Science team surprised and astonishedafter reports of Lunar impact flashes seen by the astronauts (NASA, 06 April 2026).
For particle impacts to be visible from a spaceship flying-by at more than 6,500 km from the surface, they had to be large enough to emit energy as light when they exploded upon crashing on the surface at high speed. A single event like this could be catastrophic for future surface infrastructures on the Moon.
Witnessing multiple flashes on a random day means that large particles are a persistent threat that translates into a design challenge when thinking of lunar habitats; these will require a substantial form of protection against impact and radiation.
Research on lunar habitats requires extensive focus on protection. One example is the Human Habitat Master Plan, proposed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the company Hassell. The plan consists of an inflatable modular habitat covered with a thick layer of lunar dust (regolith) processed to form shell structures piled on top, creating mounds that remain separated from the habitat as it is known that lunar dust is highly abrasive.
Presidential words – 06 April 2026
President Donald Trump was introduced by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman after the Lunar Flyby.
The President told them that they made America Proud congratulated each member of the Artemis 2 crew for their achievement of getting to the Moon after nearly 50 years and for travelling the furthest distance from Earth.
Solar eclipse with the moon in almost total darkness.Sunlight spills around the Moon showing its outline against the dark universe while the stars become prominent and colourful (NASA, 06 April 2026).
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MORE COMING SOON TO REPLACE THE BELOW
Artemis 1 launch on 16 November 2022 (NASA, 2022).The mission was an integrated system that consisted of the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the ground systems at the launch site.
The first two launch attempts were cancelled due to a faulty engine temperature on 29 August 2022 and Hydrogen leak during fuelling on 03 September 2022. Each time, the SLS was rolled out and back to NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) where building and repairs were carried out.
The Artemis 1 vehicle was a Block 1 variant of the SLS: A core stage, two solid rocket boosters and an upper stage. The core stage had x4 RS-25D refurbished engines previously flown by the Space Shuttle around the turn of the century. The boosters also come from the Shuttle era and each contains a single motor and nozzle. The upper stage had a single RL10B-2 engine.
At launch, the core and boosters produced 4,000 tons of thrust at liftoff.
Journey and destination
After liftoff, the solid rocket boosters separated and splashed down on the ocean. Later, the Launch Abort System was jettisoned and the core stage separated to descend and also splash down.
Once in Earth’s orbit, the upper stage gained speed with a Perigee Raise burn and then a Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn that placed the Orion spacecraft on a trajectory to the Moon. At 3,700 km of altitude, Orion separated from the second stage to continue towards the Moon.
Outside Earth’s orbit most of the CubeSats were deployed in 2 stages, the last one was released near the moon’s orbit.
Three weeks later Orion came within 130km from the lunar surface and entered Lunar Orbit. Orion reached a distance of 432,210 km away from Earth becoming the farthest distance from Earth travelled by an Earth-returning human-rated spacecraft, a record previously held by After Apollo 13 (400,171 km).
Orion orbited the Moon from 25 November to 01 December 2022, when it began its journey back home.
Artemis 1: Left: Orion looking back at the Earth, 16 November. Right: Orion approaching the Moon, 20 November 2022 (NASA, 2022).
Artemis 1: Orion closest to the Moon, 04 December 2022 (NASA, 2022).
The following graphic shows a summary of Artemis 1 mission. The journey consisted of 9 days, 10 hr outbound, 6 days in lunar orbit and 9 days 19 hr return, making a total of 25 days.
Artemis 1: Mission summary (NASA, 2022).
Artemis 1 Payload
Mannequins with sensors. Three mannequins were installed in the Orion Spacecraft:
- NASA’s “Captain Moonikin Campos” that recorded data on what the crew will experience.
- German Aerospace Centre’s “Helga” phantom torso measured radiation exposure without a vest. Its dosimetres detected radiation levels at stem-cell-concentration tissue locations.
- Israel Space Agency’s “Zohar” phantom torso tested the AstroRad radiation vest. The comparison provided data on the effectiveness of the vest.
Mannequins: Captain Moonikin Campos on the cockpit wearing orange.Left: AstroRad vest. Right from top: Helga and Zohar wearing the Astrorad vest (NASA, 2022).
Technology demonstration: Amazon and Cisco in collaboration with Lockheed Martin developed “Callisto” that uses video conferencing and the Amazon Alexa Virtual Assistant to interact with mission control. They also posted messages from the public that were displayed at Orion.
The zero-G indicators selected by the teams: NASA sent a plush doll of “Snoopy” wearing an orange astronaut suit, and ESA sent “Shaun the Sheep” wearing an ESA blue suit.
Orion capsule interior showing Captain Moonikin Campos on the pilot seat, the Callisto techno demonstration in the centre.Right: Floating Snoopy (green circle), enlarged for better view. Also, Shaun the Sheep from ESA (NASA. 2022).
Artemis 1 CubeSats
A CubeSat is a small satellite with a limit of 2 kg and a form factor of 10 cm. 10 CubeSats were carried in the Stage Adapter above the Second Stage. From those, 7 were selected by 3 groups at NASA and 3 were submitted by international partners.
- ArgoMoon by the Italian Space Agency, designed by Argotec to image the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Operational.
- EQUULEUS by the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) and the University of Tokyo to image the Earth’s plasmasphere and craters on the far side of the Moon. Operational.
- OMOTENASHI by JAXA, a lunar probe that would have attempted to land using solid rocket motors. The CubeSat failed to start.
- BioSentinel by NASA to detect effects of deep space radiation on yeast card rehydrated in space. Operational.
- Lunar IceCube by Morehead State Univesity, USA., to orbit the moon and detect water and organic compoundsin the surface and exosphere with imfrared spectrometry. Contact was lost after launch.
- Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper by NASA’s SIMPLEx programme aimed at orbiting the Moon and look for lunar water ice in permanently shadowed craters using a neutron detector. Engines failed to ignite and was lost.
- LunIR by Lockheed Martin to flyby the Moon and record thermography. Communications were lost and no data was collected during flyby.
- Near-Earth Asteroid Scout by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, would have flown by a near-earth asteroid using a Solar Sail. Communications were lost after launch and was lost.
- Solar Particles by the Southwest Research Institute, USA, was to orbit the Sun and study particle and magnetic activity. Contact was lost after launch.
- Team Miles by Fluid and Reason, USA., to demonstrate low-thrust plasma propulsion in deep space. Contact was not established after deployment.
Of the 10 CubeSats launched with Artemis 1, three remained operational after deployment. The remaining 7 failed.
END of UPDATES
BACKGROUND
NASA’s Artemis Programme
The Artemis Programme was established in 2017 with the goal of returning to the Moon through five increasingly complex missions. The main element is the Space Launch System (SLS), a super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle derived from developments that started with the Space Shuttle (1981-2011).
For each launch, the central Core Stage, built by Boeing, reuses and expends 4 pre-flown RS-25D refurbished engines demounted from the Space Shuttles (14 engines were left over). The stage contains liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen.
Solid Boosters Releasing fromthe Space Shuttle (NASA, 2007).
SLS also uses two solid rocket boosters, also derived and refurbished from the Shuttle, they are filled with a composite propellant composed of Aluminium powder as fuel and Ammonium perchlorate as oxidiser, bound together with Polybutadiene acrylonitrile, a propellant fuel.
After 10 years of development, the first SLS launched from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on 16 November 2022 carrying the Artemis 1 mission (see below).
Space Launch System (SLS): Top: SLS at launch. 3D model. Solid Boosters. Bottom: Core Stage rollout from the building station (NASA, 2011).
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