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Technology and Science05 April, 20261 min read

Artemis II Prepares for Lunar Flyby With Focus on Human Observation Science

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Four astronauts aboard Orion prepare for a lunar flyby. Artemis II targets a lunar flyby around April 6, 2026.

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Artemis II Prepares for Lunar Flyby With Focus on Human Observation Science
Image: WESH

Lunar Flyby Prep

The Orion spacecraft is about 169,000 miles from Earth and 110,700 miles from the Moon. The crew will conduct a manual piloting demonstration and begin a 24-hour acoustics test.

The six-hour flyby will bring Orion approximately 4,066 miles from the lunar surface. The astronauts will apply geological observational skills to document lunar features.

Image from - Informe Aéreo Noticias
Image: - Informe Aéreo Noticias
Reporting for this sectionOrbital Today

Human Vision Science

NASA's science team finalized a targeted lunar surface observation plan for the crew. Human eyes can detect subtle color nuances that spacecraft cameras sometimes miss. The Artemis II mission is the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.

Reporting for this sectionSpaceNewsWESHOrbital Today

Mission Progress

The Artemis II crew launched on April 1 and have been exercising and testing systems. Plans for an outbound trajectory correction burn were canceled as Orion remains on track.

The crew is preparing to enter the lunar sphere of influence. The mission is expected to last about 10 days.

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