Artemis II Agenda Keeps Moon-Bound Crew Busy

NASA has released the day-by-day mission agenda for Artemis II, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972. The ten-day mission begins with a shakedown of the Orion capsule in low Earth orbit, including testing the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), proximity navigation maneuvers using the spent SLS upper stage (ICPS) as a stand-in, and a Deep Space Network communications check. On day two, the crew executes the trans-lunar injection burn, committing to a free-return trajectory around the Moon. Days three through five involve experiments, medical tests, spacesuit drills, and lunar surface photography preparation. Day six is the highlight: Orion swings within 10,000 km of the far side of the Moon, with about an hour of communications blackout. The final three days focus on course corrections, a radiation shelter drill simulating a solar flare, and splashdown recovery procedures in the Pacific Ocean.