Artemis 2: A glimpse of life inside the spacecraft that will return us to the moon

By the fourth day of the journey, the astronauts’ bodies had already largely adapted to the weightlessness. They are not “sitting” or “standing” in the sense familiar to us; Most of the day they float in a position known as Neutral Body Posture (NBP) – a situation where the joints naturally bend a little and the back is slightly arched, a position similar to a diver relaxed in water. To work in front of the “Orion” touch screens without hovering away from them, they use special loops in the floor that anchor their feet.

The main task of the team for today is to activate the optical communication systems (laser). This is a revolutionary technology that allows them to transmit data to the earth with a huge bandwidth – which will allow us to see videos from the moon in 4K quality in the coming days. At the same time, they are now deploying portable radiation sensors (HERA) to map the level of risk inside the spacecraft, now that they are outside the protection of the Earth’s magnetic field.

From a medical point of view, every astronaut is required today for two hours of intensive physical training. Without gravity, the bones and muscles begin to degenerate rapidly. They use a special resistance device that simulates a load, since in the planned landing in about a week, their bodies will have to deal with the gravity of their weight again.

Hygiene is perhaps the most complex challenge. Without a shower, the astronauts today use wet wipes and shampoo without rinsing. The toilet system (UWMS), “Halo of the Moon” works on the principle of a vacuum. It is a complex technical procedure that requires great precision, and all this at a distance of half a meter from their teammates. The sense of taste is also impaired in the space due to fluid congestion in the head, which makes them today add generous amounts of hot sauce to each dried dish to feel a taste of home.

The tension inside the spacecraft is expected to rise towards tomorrow (Sunday). Tomorrow the astronauts will perform the famous “Sling-shot” maneuver: they will pass behind the far side of the moon at an altitude of about 7,400 kilometers. For about half an hour tomorrow, they will lose all radio contact with Earth and be the loneliest people in the universe.

In the following days, the four will start the journey back home. The journey will end on April 11 with a dramatic landing in the Pacific Ocean. The spacecraft will enter the atmosphere at a speed of 40,000 km/h using the “Skip Re-entry” method – it will “jump” on the layers of the atmosphere like a stone on the surface of water to slow down, before opening the parachutes and landing in the ocean waters. Until then, they continue to write the next chapter in human history, crowded but determined.