Orion Spacecraft Reaches Historic Milestone in Artemis II Mission

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The Orion spacecraft from the Artemis II mission has now entered the moon's gravitational pull, marking a historic milestone as it travels farther from Earth than any previous crewed mission. On Monday, the spacecraft will orbit the moon and experience 40 minutes of radio silence as it passes behind the lunar surface.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a critical step in NASA's ambitious plan to return humans to the moon for the first time since the Apollo era. The successful completion of this mission will pave the way for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.

The details

The Orion spacecraft, the centerpiece of the Artemis II mission, has now entered the moon's gravitational field, a significant achievement that takes it farther from Earth than any previous crewed spacecraft. During the spacecraft's orbit around the moon on Monday, the crew will experience a 40-minute period of radio silence as Orion passes behind the lunar surface, a testament to the extreme distances involved in this historic journey.

• The Orion spacecraft entered the moon's gravitational pull on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
• The spacecraft will orbit the moon and experience 40 minutes of radio silence on Monday, April 6, 2026.