NASA’s four Artemis II astronauts are continuing to train hard for the adventure of a lifetime, which is set to take place in a little over six months from now.
The American space agency this week shared on update on the crewmembers’ progress toward the launch of a voyage that will take them around the moon before returning to Earth.
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, recently participated in a crew equipment interface test that involved performing launch day and simulated orbital activities inside Orion while wearing their spacesuits.
The special training session took place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, from where NASA’s SLS rocket will power the Orion spacecraft and the crew toward the moon next year, possibly in April.
“Once in Orion, the crew performed several launch day activities, including communications checkouts and suit leak checks,” NASA said. “For the first time, the crew was connected to the spacecraft and its communications and life control systems, and all umbilicals were connected while the spacecraft operated on full power.”
To give the astronauts a feel of what to expect during their 10-day mission, they experienced various simulated ground and flight conditions. Some of the activities also included scenarios where the crew had to deal with potential issues while in space such as leaks and the failure of the air revitalization system fan, a vital mechanism for providing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the astronauts’ cabin.
“Getting this hands-on experience and learning how to act fast to overcome potential challenges during flight helps ensure the crew is ready for any scenario,” NASA said.
The crew was officially selected and announced in April 2023. At the time, the Artemis mission was set for launch in September 2025, but the date slipped due to technical and safety issues that required more time to resolve.
The Artemis II voyage will follow the path of Artemis I. The uncrewed test flight launched in November 2022 and sent Orion within just 80 miles (about 130 km) of the lunar surface.
“In about six months, Artemis II astronauts will journey around the moon for the first time in 53 years,” acting NASA chief Sean Duffy said. “America rallied behind Apollo because it represented the best of us — now it’s Artemis’ turn. They’re not just carrying a flag — they’re carrying the pride, power, and promise of the United States of America.”
Duffy added: “Every milestone in the Artemis campaign brings us closer to landing Americans back on the moon and pushing onward to Mars.”
The Artemis III mission, which is currently set for no earlier than mid-2027, will put the first astronauts on the lunar surface since 1972.
