The Artemis II astronaut team is getting ready for their return to Earth following a successful lunar flyby. The spacecraft is now pointed back towards Earth, scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, on Friday at around 8:06 p.m. ET, as per NASA officials.
NASA flight director Rick Henfling mentioned at a press conference on Tuesday that they are in the process of stowing away all the science equipment, cameras, tablets, and reference materials used during the flyby. The crew is also preparing to pack up their belongings for the journey back home.
This groundbreaking mission set a new record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth on Monday, reaching 406,771 kilometers, surpassing the previous record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The astronauts took the opportunity to name two lunar craters, proposing “Integrity” after their capsule’s name and “Carroll” in memory of Wiseman’s late wife, who passed away in 2020.
Henfling mentioned that there was an emotional moment in the mission control room when the crater names were announced. During the flyby, the crew spent seven hours observing the moon and reported sightings of details on the moon’s surface, as well as distant views of Mars, Venus, and Saturn.
NASA geologist Kelsey Young highlighted the excitement in the science room when the crew spotted impact flashes on the moon caused by micro-meteorites. The crew gathered over 175 GB of images during the flyby, which will be shared with the public within six months.
The spacecraft, named Integrity, witnessed a solar eclipse and came as close as approximately 6,545 kilometers to the moon’s surface. Following the lunar flyby, the crew received a call from U.S. President Donald Trump, inviting them to the White House upon their return.
In a unique event, the crew had a video call with the International Space Station team, sharing experiences of being in space, including discussions about food. Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch, who has been on both the moonship and the space station, shared her perspective on seeing Earth from a great distance.
Despite the successful journey, the mission encountered toilet issues with wastewater not being properly evacuated. NASA engineers are actively working to diagnose and resolve the blockage, with detailed analysis planned once the spacecraft returns to the processing facility in Florida.
