Nasa astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft spent the first hours after launch observing Earth and documenting views from space, even as the mission successfully executed a critical engine burn to push towards the Moon.Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen described the view from orbit, saying, “We are getting a beautiful view of the dark side of the Earth, lit by the Moon.” The crew were “glued to the windows” taking photographs, prioritising the view over routine activities such as meals.Commander Reid Wiseman later contacted ground control to ask how to clean the spacecraft windows after continuous photography left them dirty. Ground teams advised the crew to use water and a dry wipe. Nasa confirmed that images captured during the mission will be shared publicly once transmitted back to Earth.
Artemis II completes key burn, spacecraft exits Earth orbit
The mission marked a major milestone after Orion completed its translunar injection burn, a manoeuvre that propels the spacecraft from Earth’s orbit towards the Moon.The burn began at 19:49 EDT (23:49 GMT) and lasted just under six minutes. Nasa described the operation as “flawless”, confirming that both the crew and spacecraft systems were functioning as expected.Following the manoeuvre, Hansen said, “Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of,” marking his first remarks after the burn.The spacecraft initiated the burn at its lowest orbital point relative to Earth, a planned trajectory designed to maximise efficiency and accuracy.
Crew and systems performing as planned, says Nasa
Nasa officials said the Artemis II mission is progressing according to plan, with all major systems operating within expected parameters.At a post-burn briefing, Artemis science lead Lori Glaze said the spacecraft remains “on the path we designed” and confirmed that astronauts are “doing great”.Flight data collected so far includes ascent performance, manual flight testing during proximity operations, and checks on life-support systems such as carbon dioxide scrubbers, all of which have functioned successfully.Ascent flight director Judd Freeling stated that the Space Launch System placed Orion precisely into its intended orbit, with subsequent burns executed as planned.Orion programme manager Howard Hu compared the mission phase to “test-driving the car”, noting that objectives related to manual control and system validation have been achieved.
Mission remains a test flight, Moon landing not planned
Nasa reiterated that Artemis II is a test mission aimed at evaluating how the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, and a human crew operate together in deep space conditions.The mission will not include a Moon landing. Instead, the Orion capsule will travel around the Moon and return, allowing engineers to gather data critical for future crewed lunar landings.Officials said the coming days will focus on extracting as much data as possible from the flight, with an emphasis on system performance and crew operations.While minor issues are expected as part of testing, Nasa indicated that the mission has so far met all key objectives, marking a significant step in its broader lunar exploration programme.
