The manned mission will be around 6,500 km from the satellite at its closest point
The mission, from NASA, on the afternoon of this Monday (April 6, 2026), when Orion spent 6 hours around the satellite. During this phase, a blackout of around 40 minutes is expected in communication with the team on the ground, caused by the capsule passing through the hidden side of the Moon.
The mission is crewed by astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, from NASA, and Jeremy Hansen, from the Canadian Space Agency.
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In the days leading up to arrival, the team has been reviewing the scientific targets that should be studied during the flyby, such as impact craters, ancient lava flows and geological formations on the lunar surface. The analysis includes differences in color, brightness and texture, data that helps to understand the composition and formation of the satellite.
According to , before the flyby, the crew will complete final preparations and hold a conference with mission controllers to define lunar targets and techniques.
Read the Artemis 2 schedule on the Moon, in Brasília times:
- 01h41 – Orion enters the lunar influence area around 66,000 km from the Moon;
- 14h30 – the mission control center will inform the crew about their scientific objectives for the flyby;
- 14h56 – the crew is expected to surpass the record previously set by Apollo 13, in 1970, for the longest journey ever made by humans from Earth. Orion is expected to reach around 406,600 km from the planet, surpassing the previous mark by more than 6,400 km;
- 15h45 – beginning of lunar observations. Orion’s main windows will face the lunar surface, allowing astronauts to perform analyzes and record images;
- 19h44 – temporary loss of communication with the mission control center when the Orion capsule passes behind the Moon. This blackout is considered normal in missions of this type, as the Moon blocks radio signals between the spacecraft and the communication network on the planet;
- 19h45 – during the phenomenon known as “Earthset” (“Earth’s Sunset”), the Earth will pass behind the Moon, from Orion’s perspective;
- 20h02 – Orion reaches its closest approach to the Moon, 6,540 km from the surface. From this distance, the crew will be able to view the entire disk of the Moon, including regions close to the north and south poles;
- 20h07 – the crew reaches the maximum distance from Earth during the mission;
- 20h25 – the “Earthrise” phenomenon marks the moment when the Earth reappears on the opposite side of the Moon. The mission control center must reestablish communication with the astronauts;
- from 9:35 p.m. to 10:32 p.m. – during a solar eclipse, the Sun will pass behind the Moon from the crew’s point of view. The phenomenon will allow the study of the solar corona and the observation of possible meteor impacts on the lunar surface;
- 22h20 – end of lunar observations.
On Tuesday (Apr 7), at around 2:25 pm (Brasília time), Orion leaves the Moon’s area of influence.
Artemis 2 . The crew’s goal is to validate critical systems before moving on to later phases of lunar exploration.
