As the four astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission were zooming closer to home Thursday after their record-breaking swing around the moon, extensive preparations were underway to ensure their safe return to Earth.
The astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of NASA and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency — traveled farther from Earth than any humans during their loop around the moon this week. Their mission is seen as a key step toward resuming crewed lunar landings after a pause of more than 50 years.
NASA and the Navy have begun preparations for recovering the astronauts and their Orion spacecraft, named Integrity by the crew, after they splash down off the coast of Southern California on Friday. The USS John P. Murtha, an amphibious dock ship, has been assigned to collect the crew. The ship was on its way to the landing zone on Wednesday, Liliana Villarreal, the Artemis landing and recovery director, said at a news conference.
Using cameras mounted on the spacecraft, NASA has inspected its exterior to check for abnormalities or damage that could jeopardize the astronauts’ safety during their return on Friday. Reentry is an intense phase of any mission partly because spacecraft experience high heat and pressure.
The inspection showed Integrity was in good shape, said Debbie Korth, the deputy manager of the Orion program.
“No concerns,” she said at a news conference Wednesday. “No issues seen that would make us have any pause for the reentry phase.”
The Artemis II crew members have captivated audiences on Earth through broadcasts and news conferences while floating in their capsule, which has about as much living space as two minivans. When asked on Wednesday what they would miss about the mission, Koch mentioned the camaraderie among the crew and with colleagues on Earth.
“We are close like brothers and sisters, and that is a privilege we will never have again,” she said.
Artemis II has marked several firsts for human spaceflight.
Glover became the first Black man to venture into deep space and Koch the first woman to do so. Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency became the first person on a moon mission who is not an American.
Hansen’s participation in the mission generated pride across Canada, a point that Prime Minister Mark Carney reiterated during a conversation with the crew on Wednesday.
“A lot of Canadians want one point of reassurance, that the preference is for maple syrup over Nutella on your pancakes in the morning,” Carney said to Hansen.
“Absolutely, sir,” Hansen responded as his three American crewmates burst into laughter.