Space

Artemis II Crew Leaves Earth’s Orbit; What’s Next On Their Moon Journey (And A Look At What’s On Their Menu)

Humanity has returned to deep space as the Artemis II crew leaves Earth behind for the first lunar mission in half a century. We’re following along on their 10-day mission.

What’s Next As Artemis II Crew Leave Earth Behind

The weekend will be a busy one for the crew of the Artemis II, who have left Earth’s orbit and are now hurtling toward the moon.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am so, so excited to be able to tell you that for the first time since 1972 during Apollo 17, human beings have left Earth orbit,” NASA’s Lori Glaze said during a news conference.

The four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule were excited to talk about the views of our planet, sharing that they were glued to the windows.

(MORE: See The Artemis II Launch From A Plane Window)

"Just experienced incredible views of planet Earth and seeing the entire planet out the window in one pane. Knowing that we're about to have some similar views of the moon in that same way is definitely getting me more excited for it.” said mssion specialist Christina Koch.

Artemis II crew members Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover answer questions from reporters during the first downlink event of their mission.
(NASA)

What’s Next

On Friday the crew will start refining their path to the moon, while testing out medical equipment in the capsule. Remember this crew is prepping and testing the capsule for a much longer moon mission and a future moon landing.

Over the weekend they’ll also test out NASA new spacesuits. The orange suits are officially called the “Orion crew survival system.” While their primary use is protection during launch and reentry, they can also be used in an emergency, giving up to six days of breathable atmosphere if the Orion is depressurized, according to NASA.

Artemis II NASA astronauts (left to right) Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen stand in the white room on the crew access arm of the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as part of an integrated ground systems test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023.
(NASA/Frank Michaux)

The crew will also test out eating and drinking through a port on the helmet of the spacesuit.

What’s On The Menu

So what will these astronauts be eating on their 10-day mission? They actually got to make some of the menu choices, sampling and rating the foods selected by NASA.

They’re only allowed two beverages per day, options are limited by how much food and drink can be carried on board.

Monday Is The Big Day

Much of the weekend will be about getting ready for Monday, when the Artemis II crew will come closest to the moon. It’s also when they could set a record, traveling the farthest from Earth.

The current record is 248,655 miles away – set in 1970 by the Apollo 13 crew, says NASA.

As they get within 4,000 to 6,000 miles of the moon’s surface, they’ll be taking lots of photos and recording data, because they’ll be the first to see some parts of the moon with their own eyes.