The countdown to the first manned mission of the Artemis II program is being felt at Kennedy Space Center, where astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are training aboard the Orion spacecraft with fully operational systems. For several days, the crew has had a hands-on experience of what their trip around the Moon will entail.
Orion spacecraft
During these days, the astronauts performed technical simulations under the same conditions they will face on launch day. Each of them, dressed in the Orion spacecraft survival system suits, accessed the capsule using zero-emission transport vehicles and settled into the spacecraft to perform communications tests, environmental control and safety checks, with all systems operating at full power.
The training also included critical scenarios, such as ventilation system fan failures or internal leaks, so that the crew learns how to react to possible failures during deep space flight. The tests, carried out with the actual spacecraft hardware, verify the compatibility of the flight procedures and familiarize the team with the devices they will use in the lunar environment.
With the spacecraft shut down, tasks planned for the orbital phase were also performed, such as the use of cameras, access to storage compartments, checking of checklists and evaluation of life support systems. All of this is intended to ensure that the Artemis II crew crew can efficiently adapt to the microgravity environment and manage their routine autonomously during the trip around the natural satellite.
This training represents a critical step for NASA and its partners as they continue to refine every detail on their path toward returning humans to the Moon and establishing a base for future Mars missions. The experience gained now will lay the operational and technological foundation for deep space exploration.
Source and photo: NASA
