Artemis II astronauts closer to moon than Earth amid toilet malfunction
Why it matters: The Artemis II mission marks humanity's first lunar journey in over 50 years, with three Americans and one Canadian swinging around the moon.
- Nasa confirmed the Artemis II crew is closer to the moon than Earth, completing their third day of flight.
- An unnamed crew member described the moon as a "beautiful sight" from the docking hatch, a sentiment echoed by Commander Reid Wiseman who called the view of Earth "the most spectacular moment."
- The Orion spacecraft has traveled over 152,000 miles (245,000km) from Earth, with Nasa releasing the crew's first downlinked images, including a full globe view with a green aurora.
- Lakiesha Hawkins, a Nasa exploration systems leader, stated the mission is going well, even as Debbie Korth, Orion program deputy manager, noted the space toilet is "on the fritz" again.
- Engineers suspect ice is blocking the urine line, leading to a "burning heater smell" reported by Astronaut Christina Koch, prompting flight controllers to reorient the capsule for warmth.
- The crew's menu includes shelf-stable items like tortillas, vegetable quiche, and barbecued beef brisket, carefully selected due to the lack of refrigeration onboard.
The Artemis II crew, the first lunar travelers since 1972, are now closer to the moon than Earth, having traveled over 152,000 miles since Wednesday's launch, capturing stunning images of Earth from space. Despite the mission's success, the astronauts are contending with a persistent toilet malfunction, suspected to be caused by a frozen vent line, requiring them to use backup collection bags.
