Here’s how Artemis astronauts will document parts of the moon never seen before – WTOP News

Four astronauts in the Artemis II Space Launch System successfully launched into space Wednesday, marking the start of NASA’s renewed push to get to the moon, and eventually build a base there.

Artemis astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are on board. They’ll hurtle several thousand miles beyond the moon, hang a U-turn and then come straight back. The mission is set to last less than 10 days.

WTOP covered the first portion of the itinerary here. More excitement is in store in the later days of the mission.

After about a four-day voyage, the crew will review the lunar flyby imaging plan on Day 5. That will be done in two shifts, with two astronauts looking out Orion’s windows with cameras and writing what they see in their personal computers.

In the first hour of Day 6, the crew will make its closest approach to the moon, and minutes later will reach its maximum distance from Earth.

Here is how NASA describes the flyby.

“Over the course of the day, the crew will come within 4,000 to 6,000 miles of the lunar surface as they swing around the far side of the Moon — it should look to them about the size of a basketball held at arm’s length. They will devote the majority of their day to taking photos and videos of the Moon, and recording their observations as they become the first to see some parts of the Moon with their own eyes.

Because the Sun’s angle on the Moon changes by about one degree every two hours, the crew won’t be sure what lighting conditions to expect on the lunar surface until they launch. If the Sun is high in the lunar sky during the flyby, there will be few shadows, and the crew will be looking for subtle variations in surface color and rightness. If the Sun is lower on the horizon, long shadows will stretch across the surface, enhancing relief and revealing depth, ridges, slopes, and crater rims that are often difficult to detect under full illumination. If the Sun is overhead from Orion’s perspective — like noon on Earth — shadows will be few to nonexistent, creating ideal lighting conditions for close-up imaging of specific lunar features.

The crew will record their observations in real time, as they take photos and videos — including when they lose communication with Earth for 30-50 minutes as they pass behind the Moon. That way, their observations can later be linked with the exact images they took.”

The astronauts, using safe sun viewing glasses, will also witness an eclipse of the sun and see the solar corona.

Artemis mission project scientist Noah Petro is very familiar with the moon, as he was the project leader for Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been absolutely crucial to supporting Artemis.

Petro said Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images of the moon were used to make a movie simulating what the astronauts would see through the windows of Orion and help in their lunar science training. They also conducted classroom sessions and field geology training in Iceland (parts of that country really do look like the moon).

“A human eyeball connected to a trained brain is a very powerful combination,” Petro told WTOP.

He said the time of the launch determines precisely what the Artemis II crew will see on the far side of the moon. The hope is that they will be able to see an almost fully illuminated far side disk, including areas that have never been seen by human eyes, since Artemis II will fly a different profile than the Apollo astronauts did.

The crew will also get a glimpse of the moon’s South Pole — a prized area for human exploration.

One big difference between the Apollo and Artemis missions, which is a huge advantage for exploring and imaging the moon, is the altitude above the lunar surface.

Petro said Artemis II is 4,000-6,000 miles above the moon, compared with the 60-70 mile altitude of Apollo. That height allows for a wide, global assessment of lunar features.

The moon will appear as big as a basketball held at arm’s length through the windows of the Space Launch System. There will be two separate shifts during the approximately four-hour flyby; one crew member will image the moon with a mirrorless camera and the other will document observations.

Petro described the mission as a “lunar linchpin.” It will bring the legacy of Apollo and the promise of Artemis together. That is a very powerful combination.

Stay tuned to WTOP for ongoing coverage of Artemis II.

GO ARTEMIS II!

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