TL;DR
- Artemis II astronauts face communication issues shortly after launch.
- Toilet plumbing problems were resolved quickly.
- Tech support needed for Microsoft Outlook during the mission.
- A crucial engine burn will set the crew on a path to the moon.
- This mission marks the first crewed lunar journey since Apollo 17.
Hold onto your helmets, folks! The Artemis II astronauts are already making headlines, and not just for their historic journey to the moon. Just a day into their mission, these brave space travelers faced some surprisingly relatable challenges. From toilet troubles to tech support woes, it seems that even astronauts aren’t immune to the quirks of modern technology.
After launching on their 10-day mission, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen quickly found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Shortly after reaching orbit around Earth, they experienced a “loss of communications” with Mission Control. Talk about a cosmic game of telephone! While the crew could hear the ground team, the ground team couldn’t hear them. Thankfully, the issue was resolved quickly, and NASA officials assured everyone that the spacecraft was in good shape. “There were no issues with the vehicle itself,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said. “Comms with the crew have been restored. We’re actively working the issue.” Phew!
But the drama didn’t stop there! The crew also reported a blinking fault light while testing their onboard toilet, affectionately known as the Universal Waste Management System. This high-tech throne is designed to vent urine overboard and store feces until the astronauts return to Earth. It even has a door for some much-needed privacy! After some late-night troubleshooting with Mission Control, the astronauts managed to get the toilet back in working order. If it hadn’t been fixed, they would have had to resort to using what NASA calls “collapsible contingency urinals”. Yes, you read that right—space bags for pee!
And if you thought that was the end of their tech troubles, think again! As the astronauts set up their computers, they hit a snag with Microsoft Outlook. “I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks, and neither one of those are working,” Wiseman radioed back to Earth, sounding just like any frustrated office worker. Luckily, Mission Control came to the rescue, gaining remote access to the computers and getting Outlook back online. Because if you can’t email your friends from space, what’s the point?
With those early hiccups behind them, the crew received their wakeup call the next day with a little help from John Legend’s “Green Light”. As they prepared for a crucial engine burn that would set them on a path around the moon, excitement was in the air. This translunar injection burn is a big deal, as it will boost the Orion capsule’s velocity enough to send it out of Earth orbit. It’s the last major engine burn for this mission, and once it happens, there’s no turning back!
NASA officials are keeping a close eye on the engine performance and navigation data during this maneuver. If all goes according to plan, the Artemis II astronauts will make history as the first crew to journey toward the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Talk about a giant leap for mankind—and a fabulous one at that!