NASA astronauts depart Earth orbit
NASA’s Artemis II mission has officially started its journey to the Moon, carrying Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen. Following a day in Earth orbit, the crew entered a “free-return” trajectory, allowing lunar fly-around before safely returning to Earth without propulsion.
“Human beings have left Earth orbit for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972,” NASA’s Lori Glaze announced, highlighting the historic nature of the mission.
Stunning views and milestones
Astronauts reported breathtaking views of Earth and the Moon from the Orion spacecraft. Christina Koch described seeing the planet lit bright by day with the Moon glowing at night as “breathtaking.” The mission also set historic firsts: Glover is the first Black astronaut, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-US citizen to travel to the Moon.
Glover reflected on the experience, saying, “From up here, you also look like one thing: homo sapiens… we’re all one people.”
Life in space and minor challenges
During their first day, the Artemis II crew conducted capsule system checks and addressed minor technical issues, including a communications glitch and a malfunctioning toilet. Koch jokingly called herself “the space plumber” after resolving the issue. The astronauts also began their first in-space workouts to counteract the effects of microgravity on muscle and bone health.
Toward the Moon and beyond
If successful, Artemis II will set a distance record for human space travel, sending the crew approximately 250,000 miles from Earth. The 10-day mission is a key step toward a planned Moon landing in 2028, as NASA continues its long-term effort to establish a sustainable lunar presence. This initiative also positions the US alongside China, which aims to land humans on the Moon by 2030.
Also read: Nasa’s Artemis mission: return to the moon, and onward to Mars
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