Artemis II timeline, from launch to return: When will Orion reach the Moon?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Artemis II timeline, from launch to return: When will Orion reach the Moon?")
When will Artemis II reach Moon, and what will astronauts do there? Photograph: (AFP)
Artemis II timeline: When will the Artemis II crew reach the Moon, what will they do on their way, how long will they stay near the Moon, and what does the return trip look like? Key points you need to know about Artemis II and Orion.
Artemis II is scheduled to reach the Moon on Day 6 of the mission, on April 6. Here, Orion will perform a crucial lunar flyby, going around the far side of the Moon. The spacecraft will go 7,500 kilometres beyond the surface of the Moon on the far side, using this manoeuvre to slingshot back to Earth. The SLS rocket with Orion on top successfully lifted off on the evening of April 1, taking four astronauts on a historic journey for the first time in 54 years. However, the spacecraft will not go to the Moon until all systems are checked in a high Earth orbit. The crew will remain in this region for over a day to check life-support systems and perform manual manoeuvring exercises. Once everything is checked, the spacecraft will push forward. On April 2, the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) will perform the Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn, which will move Orion out of Earth's orbit and towards the Moon.
Artemis II Moon travel time and how much time will astronauts spend near Moon
It will take Orion around four days to reach the Moon. The spacecraft is scheduled to hit its target area on April 6. The Artemis II mission is not built to enter the Moon's orbit and will stay thousands of kilometres above the surface. The astronauts will be able to catch mind-blowing views of the Moon, which will appear the size of a basketball when held at an arm's distance. Orion's trajectory will carry the crew around the Moon, and later harness lunar gravity to slingshot them back to Earth. While en route, the astronauts will practice the tasks they'll perform during the lunar flyby. They will have only about three hours during Orion's closest pass above the lunar surface to complete their survey. NASA has handed them a long list of observations that they are expecting to make.
Also Read: Artemis II latest updates: Orion design, size, inclusions, trip time, and the toilet problem
Orion travel distance and when will Orion return?
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Orion is travelling approximately 400,000 km to the Moon, the farthest distance from Earth any manned spacecraft has ever reached. The spacecraft will eventually come back using a free-return trajectory. Orion will use the Moon's gravity to take a U-turn, like a giant loop that naturally pulls it back towards Earth. So even if the main engines fail to work optimally, the spacecraft will still come back safely. After another four days, the spacecraft will make a high-speed reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.
