Artemis II astronauts prepare for ‘fireball ride through the atmosphere’ experience on their way home
The Artemis II crew is gaining momentum as their Orion spacecraft continues its journey home.
On Wednesday, crew members woke up 322,316 kilometers from Earth – and 134,459 kilometers from the Moon – to the sounds of Queen and David Bowie. Under pressure.
Commander Reed Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are spending the day conducting critical tests as they prepare for their Friday launch over the Pacific Ocean.
They’re also preparing the cabin, studying entry procedures, storing equipment and setting up their seats to make sure everything is secure.
But during an evening press conference, the four astronauts were also asked how they were mentally preparing to return to Earth.
an eclipse and crew camaraderie
Glover said he has been thinking about splashdown “since April 3, 2023, when we were assigned to this mission.” She said she hasn’t begun to process the entire experience yet, but she’s happy to be back to share even more photos and stories.
“We still have two more days to go, and it’s even deeper into the atmosphere to ride the fireball,” he said. “I’ll be thinking and talking about all these things for the rest of my life.”
Wiseman described watching the Earth’s eclipse from a spacecraft, and said that remembering it gave him chills.
“It’s amazing to see our home planet disappear behind the moon,” he said. “It was just an incredible sight, and then he was gone.”
Koch said she will miss the camaraderie of the mission, a type of teamwork she says you don’t usually get as an adult. And despite the close quarters, she said there’s nothing about the mission she’s ready to rule out because “this whole thing is a package.”
“We can’t explore deeply unless we’re doing some uncomfortable things, unless we’re making some sacrifices, unless we’re taking some risks. And all of those things are worth it.”
Asked how the trip has changed his view of the Moon or anything else, Hansen said one thing that hasn’t changed is his view of life on Earth.
“Our purpose on the planet as humans is to find happiness, to find joy in lifting each other up, creating solutions together rather than destroying,” he said.
“And when you look at it from here, it doesn’t change it. It absolutely confirms it. It’s almost like seeing living proof of it.”
Orion is speeding ahead on its journey home
Earlier, NASA officials updated the media on the historic lunar mission in a late afternoon press conference.
Artemis II entry flight director Rick Henfling says the spacecraft will fly at a maximum speed of 38,366 km/h before re-entry.
“We are building momentum as we speak,” he said.
He said three separate sets of parachutes would be deployed to slow the spacecraft down between about 6,700 meters and 1,500 meters above the ground, before landing in the ocean.
Henfling said all four crew members took turns Wednesday to test and evaluate the “orthostatic intolerance garment,” which is designed to apply compression to the lower body, help maintain blood pressure and circulation and prevent dizziness and fainting upon their transition to Earth’s gravity.
a call from canada
Early in the evening the crew received a video call from Canada, where Hansen and his fellow crew members asked questions of Prime Minister Mark Carney, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and some young Canadians.
Carney said he was “absolutely thrilled” to talk with the crew, and invited them to Ottawa for maple syrup on pancakes after returning home.
“We are all watching and inspired by what you are doing,” he said.
During a call with the Artemis II crew on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney joked that Canadians wanted to be reassured that maple syrup was preferred on the Orion capsule rather than Nutella on pancakes, referencing a viral moment in which a jar of the latter floated through the cabin during a livestream.
Artemis II broke the distance record on Monday as the farthest humans have flown from Earth. The spacecraft reached 406,771 kilometers on the far side of the Moon, breaking the previous record of 400,171 kilometers set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
The astronauts spent several hours circling the moon photographing and describing the scenes before heading back toward Earth.
When Jolie asked whether the trip had changed Hansen’s view of the human race, he said it only reinforced what he already believed.
“I think that’s enough for everyone. The purpose of humanity is happiness and lifting each other up, creating together versus destroying,” Hansen said.
The Ontario astronaut also showed off his patch, Created by Anishinaabe artist Henri Guimondand talked about the importance of their learning from indigenous elders and especially the seven sacred laws in guiding them on the mission.
“My mantra when I wake up is that I will try to spend my day walking with these characteristics,” he said. “And so I begin with courage, humility, respect, love, honesty, wisdom and truth.”
The Artemis II crew, including Canadian mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, spoke to Prime Minister Mark Carney during a live space-to-Earth connection on Wednesday. Carney asked the astronauts about the risks they took during missions, as well as their favorite wake-up songs.
‘down to the wire’
Back at mission control, NASA officials said the USS John P. Murtha has left ship port and is headed toward the midpoint to the recovery site in the Pacific Ocean to assist in the splashdown scheduled for 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday.
Members of NASA and the US military are aboard the ship, preparing to evacuate the crew to safety.
Artemis II landing and recovery director Liliana Villarreal said divers will open the Orion hatch after splashdown and help the astronauts from their seats onto a large inflatable raft, called the front porch.
That’s where they will await pickup by two Navy helicopters, which will transport all four crew members “within minutes of each other” before returning them to the recovery ship, Villarreal said.
The crew members will then have to undergo regular post-flight medical check-ups onboard.
Artemis II has completed its lunar flight and is now returning to Earth. The 10-day mission will end on Friday this week. It was the first crewed lunar flyby in 50 years. Katie Mack, an astrophysicist at the Perimeter Institute, talks about the mission’s purpose and what it accomplished.
Officials say the spacecraft appears to be in excellent condition for reentry, and weather conditions look favorable — but they say there is still a lot of work to be done by crews on the ground, sea and in the sky to ensure a safe landing.
“We are now in full swing,” said Lakeisha Hawkins, acting deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate.
“Clearly getting the crew back home and landing them safely is a significant part of the risk that we still face.”
