Artemis 2 HIGHLIGHTS: When will the astronauts reach the Moon?

While there is no Indian astronaut on this specific flight, the success of Artemis-II directly accelerates Isro's roadmap. By being part of the Accords, India is no longer an observer but a stakeholder in the infrastructure being built for the Moon.

The most immediate gain is technical data sharing. As Artemis-II tests Orion’s life support and communication systems in deep space, the insights gathered are accessible to Accord signatories.

For Isro, which is currently developing its own human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, this high-level mission data serves as a blueprint for long-duration human spaceflight safety.

Artemis 2 astronauts will reach the lunar vicinity on the sixth day of their 10-day mission. 

Christina Koch has become the first woman to travel towards the Moon, and Victor Glover is the first person of colour to achieve this feat.

European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher has highlighted the critical role of the European Service Module in powering the Orion spacecraft during its lunar journey.

In a statement shared on social media, Aschbacher noted that the module provides essential life support, propulsion, water, and thermal control for the four-member crew.

The hardware represents a coordinated effort involving 13 member states and over 100 European suppliers.

This reliability was previously proven during the Artemis 1 mission in November 2022, when the module exceeded power expectations.

Aschbacher wished astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen a successful mission, emphasising that the journey represents a balanced international partnership between Nasa and its European allies.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has shared a deeply personal message as the Artemis 2 mission begins its historic journey toward the Moon. 

Shukla, who trained at the Johnson Space Center and recently visited the International Space Station, reflected on the significance of the launch from the Kennedy Space Center. 

He recalled his own experiences on the same grounds from which Neil Armstrong launched, and where his own mission commander, Peggy Whitson, began her journey. 

Having met members of the Artemis 2 crew during his training, Shukla described seeing them embark on this 10-day lunar flyby as both inspiring and moving. 

He noted that the four astronauts represent the collective hopes of humanity as they become the first people to travel to the vicinity of the Moon in over five decades.
 

The crew aboard the Orion spacecraft, working closely with mission control in Houston, has restored the toilet to normal operations following the proximity operations demonstration. 

Ahead of the apogee raise burn, the astronauts reported a blinking fault light.

Mission control teams successfully assessed the data and collaborated with the crew to resolve the issue. 

Following the successful fix, the crew is scheduled for a four-hour nap before being awakened to prepare for the perigee raise burn. 

This upcoming manoeuvre will lift the lowest point of the orbit around Earth.

Together with the previously completed apogee raise burn, these actions shape the initial orbit of the spacecraft and prepare it for later translunar operations.

The crew members will then resume their sleep period to ensure they are well rested for the next phases of the mission.

Four international CubeSats from Germany, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina have been successfully deployed into Earth orbit. 

These small satellites, each roughly twice the size of a shoebox, are designed to conduct critical science during the Artemis 2 mission. 

The payloads, including Argentina’s Atenea and South Korea’s K-Rad, will measure space radiation and monitor space weather effects at various distances from Earth. 

Mission officials confirmed the successful release of the microsatellites from the Orion stage adapter. 

The data collected by these CubeSats will help scientists understand the deep space environment and its impact on electronic systems and human health, providing vital information for future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.

The four-member crew aboard the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, has successfully finished the proximity operations demonstration. 

During the 70-minute activity, Pilot Victor Glover and Commander Reid Wiseman worked together to manually manoeuvre the capsule relative to the detached Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. 

This crucial test used onboard navigation sensors and reaction control thrusters to validate how the spacecraft handles during close range encounters. 

Orion executed an automated departure burn to safely separate from the stage.

The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage is now scheduled to perform a disposal burn for a controlled re-entry into the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

The ascent of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket has provided some of the most stunning visuals of the mission so far. 

Meteorologist Dakota Smith shared a breathtaking view of the Artemis II launch, capturing the massive rocket as it pierced through the atmosphere and headed toward orbit. 

The footage highlights the sheer power of the Space Launch System as it carries the Orion spacecraft and its four-member crew. 

Mission officials noted that the clear weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center allowed for exceptional visibility during the initial minutes of flight. 

The crew remains in high spirits as they continue their journey beyond Earth orbit.

Pilot Victor Glover has taken control of the Orion spacecraft to begin a critical series of proximity operations. 

During this demonstration, Glover is navigating Orion in close range of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. 

This manoeuvre is essential for testing the spacecraft handling qualities and the crew's ability to perform precise movements in space. 

At 9:27 AM IST, the spacecraft will move into position. Glover will report real-time data on the roll, pitch, and yaw of the capsule. 

These tilt and rotation measurements are being monitored closely by ground teams at Mission Control to validate systems for future docking procedures with other spacecraft. 

The live feed shows a steady approach as the crew prepares for the next phase of the mission.

Aerospace engineer Dr Chris Combs, from UT San Antonio, has shared what he called his favourite shot from the Artemis-II mission so far.

The Artemis-II crew is set to perform the proximity operations test, one of the most nail-biting operations. 

The Artemis-II crew reached high-Earth orbit an hour after launch. Next, the astronauts will use the spent upper stage as a target for a proximity operations demonstration, one of the most nail-biting tests of the entire mission.

Proximity operations, or prox ops, refers to the precise, controlled flying required when one spacecraft must manoeuvre close to another. Think of it as precision parking in a vacuum.

This skill will be essential in future Artemis missions when Orion must dock with a lunar lander or the planned Gateway space station in lunar orbit.

It's been over two hours since Artemis-II took off and is heading towards space. 

As the spacecraft goes around the Earth twice over the next 24 hours, the crew will check that everything is working properly.

Their tasks include turning on a specific engine to push the spacecraft into a higher orbit around Earth, flying the spacecraft by hand for the first time, and testing how well it moves to make sure it can connect with a Moon lander in a future mission.

If all the checks go well after a day in orbit, the team on the ground will give the crew the go-ahead to head to the Moon by firing an engine that will push them in that direction.

The two solid rocket boosters that helped catapult the Artemis-II's SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft into the sky detached and were seen dropping from the sky.

US President Donald Trump began his national address from the White House on Thursday morning by saluting Nasa’s successful launch of Artemis-II, framing the mission as a bold American triumph in space.

“Let me begin by congratulating the team at Nasa, and our brave astronauts on the successful launch of Artemis II,” Trump said.

Artemis-II met another unexpected issue shortly after launch. Mission specialist Christina Koch discovered the Orion capsule's new toilet had shut itself down.

"The toilet shut down on its own," she reported to Mission Control, which advised the crew to use a handheld backup called the Collapsible Contingency Urinal (CCU), while engineers investigated.

CCU is an emergency backup toilet using a bag-and-funnel system, dating back to the Apollo era.

Nasa astronauts will try to get a picture of Earth rise, similar to the Apollo 8 mission as the do the historic lunar flyby in the coming days. 

The Orion spacecraft has completed the perigee burn, setting the mission for the critical Trans Lunar Injection (TLI) that will push Orion on its way to the Moon.

Nasa chief said that there was a temporary loss of communication around 51 minutes after the launch and that teams are working to resolve it. he added that the spacecraft is healthy. The four astronauts are safe and secure in space.