Artemis II crew begins orbital operations after historic lunar mission launch – NASA

Addis Ababa, April 2, 2026 (FMC) – The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission have begun initial operations in space following the spacecraft’s successful launch, entering Earth orbit ahead of the next phase of their journey toward the Moon, according to international media reports.

The crew is currently conducting system checks aboard the Orion spacecraft, testing life-support and onboard systems as part of the mission’s primary objective to validate deep-space flight capabilities, reports indicate.

After reaching orbit, the spacecraft successfully deployed its solar arrays and established stable power generation, marking a key early milestone in the mission, according to NASA updates.

The astronauts are also preparing for upcoming manoeuvres, including a series of engine burns that will send Orion on a translunar trajectory toward the Moon in the coming days.

The 10-day mission will take the crew farther from Earth than any humans have travelled before, as they conduct experiments, capture images of the Moon’s far side, and gather data critical for future lunar landings, international coverage indicates.

Artemis II marks the first crewed mission beyond low-Earth orbit in more than 50 years and serves as a key step toward NASA’s broader plan to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars.