Artemis II Mission Has Entered Orbit: What Awaits The Astronauts Next

The key event of the next few hours will be the exit maneuver to the Moon.

After a successful rocket launch, NASA's Artemis II mission has moved on to the next phase. The crew of four astronauts - Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen - is already in Earth orbit about 68,000 kilometers from Earth, where it is undergoing the first tests of the Orion spacecraft, writes BBC (translated by Charter97.org).

The vehicle's solar panels have been successfully deployed, powering the flight. During the first 24 hours, the astronauts are testing the life support systems and performance of the craft, which has not been used for manned missions before.

The crew's routine is strictly regulated: the astronauts have already had their first sessions of sleep, meals and physical activity. In weightlessness, they are instructed to exercise daily to preserve muscle and bone mass. The meals consist mostly of freeze-dried foods, and the menus have been chosen in advance.

NASA also confirmed that the toilet problem experienced during launch has been fixed and the system is functioning normally.

The key event of the next few hours will be the lunar escape maneuver, the so-called "translunar pulse." It should take the ship from Earth orbit to the trajectory of flight to the Moon. If all goes according to plan, Orion will circle the back side of the satellite and, using its gravity, return to Earth.

The crew is expected to reach the far side of the Moon early next week, becoming the first people in more than half a century to travel so far from Earth. The astronauts will make observations and take pictures, uncovering new data about one of the least-explored areas of the lunar surface.

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