This week marked a historic launch as four astronauts embarked on a 10-day expedition toward the moon, venturing farther from our planet than any humans since over five decades ago. The Orion capsule is set to orbit the lunar surface next Monday, though the crew has already witnessed remarkable sights en route. Below are the newest developments on the Artemis II flight, plus notable scientific advancements from recent days.
Following extensive preparations, NASA team members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, joined by Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, have launched aboard the Artemis II spacecraft. This pivotal test mission advances NASA's objective to return people to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo 17 expedition, with the Wednesday liftoff proceeding smoothly despite its intensity.
NASA reports that the Artemis II team is now beyond the midpoint of their lunar trajectory. Upon arriving at the moon on April 6, they will have a six-hour period to view the dimly illuminated far side, invisible from Earth. For real-time position tracking, check NASA's Artemis Real-Time Orbit page. To catch a glimpse of the orbital scene from Orion's exterior, a live feed is available, and the moon has just appeared in sight.
Post-launch, the astronauts encountered minor technical glitches, but these were swiftly addressed. In the early hours of Thursday, Wiseman reached out to ground control about problems with a Surface Pro tablet, mentioning, 'I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one of those are working.' Adding to the challenges, a faulty waste management system appeared soon after takeoff, prompting Koch to collaborate with engineers on Earth for a solution, which succeeded. During a subsequent broadcast, Koch humorously claimed her new role as a cosmic repair specialist.
Despite these hiccups, the Artemis II endeavor is progressing impressively. On Thursday, the Orion vehicle executed its translunar injection maneuver, escaping Earth's gravity and heading moonward. Mission leader Wiseman later posted stunning images from the spacecraft's windows, including a sharp photo of Earth displaying twin auroral displays. Further discoveries await in the coming days.
Leveraging observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, University of Chicago undergraduates have identified what may be among the earliest stars recorded. Dubbed SDSSJ0715-7334, this celestial body originated in the Large Magellanic Cloud billions of years back and later migrated to our galaxy.
The discovery emerged from a review of 77 candidates by the students during their 'Field Course in Astrophysics,' instructed by Professor Alex Ji, who serves as deputy Project Scientist for SDSS-V, a comprehensive survey charting the Milky Way. Following their selections, the group traveled to the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile under Carnegie Science's auspices, focusing on SDSSJ0715-7334 during the second day of observations. Analysis revealed the star's composition as predominantly hydrogen and helium, with minimal traces of carbon and iron. Their findings, detailed in Nature Astronomy, propose that a primeval supernova shaped this makeup.
'This venerable wanderer offers a rare glimpse into the primordial cosmos,' Ji commented. He further explained, 'Its scarcity of carbon implies that initial cosmic particles played a key role in its creation, a process documented only once previously.'
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