Post Content Nasa releases first Earth images from Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft. (Image source: Nasa)
The Artemis II crew said that watching the eclipse and the ‘Earthset’ were the standout moments of the mission.
Interacting with the media from Integrity late on Wednesday, Mission Pilot Victor Grover said, “During the preparation of the mission, we had seen some amazing simulations and what the eclipse would look like. But when we saw the moon grow 30 to 35 times bigger than the sun and saw the eclipse from the far side of the moon, it blew us all away. It was one of the greatest gifts of the mission.”
Very little is known about the moon’s far side, as Earth is never exposed to that part. While remaining cut off from Earth as the Artemis II flew past to the lunar far-side, the crew said to have found time to closely see the endless craters, peaks, and the lunar surface from close quarters.
The crew remarked that they were busy taking observations for the mission geology team, while at the far side, and recalled, “When we watched the eclipse, it was amazing to see Earth hide behind the moon. During the period we spent at the lunar far side, we performed a lot of scientific work, and the majority of the lunar observations were conducted,” said Mission Commander Reid Wiseman.
Ever since the mission got underway, the crew has been relaying some never-before-seen images of the Earth, the moon, and their life in space.
Recalling the experience of personally witnessing the celestial wonders up in space, Jeremy Hense, Mission Specialist, said, “We have seen some extraordinary things, and beyond that, I had even imagined. The belief of being lucky to have got a chance to live on planet Earth, to join hands and lift each other up and find common solutions has just got re-affirmed while up here in space.”
Two days ago, the Artemis crew announced naming a lunar crater after Carroll Wiseman, the deceased wife of Mission Commander Reid Wiseman.
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Talking about this gesture, Mission Commander Wiseman said, “It was a powerful and an emotional moment up here. My fellow crew members kept this as the best treasure. Personally, it was the pinnacle moment of the mission. We all felt the most bonded. It was a caging moment.”
The Artemis programme has, since its launch, contributed significantly to the advancements of robotics in space missions. In addition, the Artemis II crew has shared that they have always kept the subsequent crew in mind and worked towards performing tests and checks for future missions.
“This is a relay race, and we plan to hand down all our learnings to the next crew. We have been diligent to fix things and perform tasks – from manual piloting, performing procedures and processes as they should be, testing the working of the provisions and human systems, all for the next crew,” said Christina Koch, Mission Specialist, nicknamed the ‘space plumber’.
‘Loved life inside Orion’
She also said that the crew has loved their life inside the Orion spacecraft. “Sometimes we forget where we are, as the small space gives us everything at an arm’s reach. But we are constantly bumping into one another while either trying to complete tasks or to look at the window for a picture – everything here is a four-person activity.”
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Earlier in the day, Nasa shared that the crew will be performing rehearsals before they commence their final return journey to Earth. Artemis II is scheduled to splash down off the California coast on Friday, a little after 8 pm EDT (about 5 am IST, April 11).
