During the sixth day of flight, the crew of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission enters the most important phase of the entire mission: a close flyby of the Moon with intensive scientific observations and historical records.
The Orion spacecraft began a period of lunar observation at 2:45 p.m. ET, which will last approximately seven hours. In that interval, Orion is close enough to the Moon at about 6,550 kilometers on its closest pass, while the capsule’s windows are pointed directly at the surface, allowing the astronauts detailed visual and scientific monitoring.
As early as 1:56 p.m., the NASA crew of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen broke the record for the longest manned flight, surpassing the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.
Artemis II provides detailed observations of the lunar surface
Before starting the main observation, the science team provided the crew with a list of 30 key locations on the Moon to be analyzed. Among them, the Orientale Basin, a huge crater with a diameter of about 960 kilometers and 3.8 billion years old, as well as the Hertzsprung Basin on the dark side of the Moon, which provides a glimpse of older geological structures altered by erosion, stand out.
NASAAs Orion approached the Moon from its visible side, the astronauts had the opportunity to observe characteristic formations such as Reiner Gamma, a mysterious bright structure whose origin scientists are still investigating, as well as the Glushko Crater, known for its bright lines that stretch for hundreds of kilometers.
During the mission, the crew even proposed names for two hitherto unnamed craters. One would be named “Integrity”, in honor of the mission and the aircraft itself, while the other would be named “Carroll”, in memory of Commander Wiseman’s deceased wife. These proposals will be sent to the International Astronomical Union for official consideration.
During the passage behind the Moon, communication with Earth is planned to be interrupted for about 40 minutes, which is standard procedure in such missions. This is followed by the continuation of the transmission and one of the most impressive moments – the “rise of the Earth” above the lunar horizon.
This phase of the mission is not only spectacular to observe, but also of great scientific importance, as it allows studying the structure of the Moon from different angles and comparing geological formations over time.
Artemis II confirms operational readiness for future lunar landing missions and is a key step toward a long-term human presence in deep space, NASA reports.