On Flight Day 3 of the historic Artemis 2 mission, the crew of the Orion spacecraft crossed a major celestial threshold: they are officially closer to the Moon than to Earth.
Guided by Mission Control—which featured fellow Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut and Artemis 2 backup Jenny Gibbons at the CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator) console—the crew executed a busy schedule of deep-space operations. Because of the extreme precision of yesterday’s Trans-Lunar Injection, a planned Outbound Trajectory Correction burn (OTC-1) was evaluated and ultimately canceled, saving spacecraft propellant.
Throughout the day, the crew focused on preparations for their upcoming lunar flyby. This included a full dry run of the cabin configuration to test lighting, camera placement, and crew positioning for Flight Day 6. The astronauts also tested the Deep Space Network emergency communications and worked with environmental systems engineers to fine-tune cabin temperatures.
CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen wrapped up the day with a live public affairs broadcast to Canada, reflecting on the milestone of passing the halfway mark. “If we can send a human around the moon in 2026, just imagine what we’re capable of doing next,” Hansen noted, emphasizing the strength of the international partnership driving the mission forward.