NASA’s manned mission has left Earth’s orbit and is now on its way to the satellite
The mission concluded on Thursday (April 2, 2026) the maneuver that took the Orion capsule out of Earth’s orbit and placed it on a trajectory towards the Moon. The burning of the main engine, called translunar injection, lasted around 6 minutes and, according to NASA, marked the first time since Apollo 17, in 1972, that astronauts left Earth’s orbit heading to the lunar surroundings.
The mission took place on Wednesday night (1st April). They include North American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Jeremy Hansen.
According to NASA, Orion began to follow a precise trajectory towards Earth’s natural satellite after the maneuver, considered decisive for the remainder of the flight. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said the moment represents “significant progress” for the Artemis program and the next stages of lunar exploration.
The successful burning came after a . In the initial hours of the mission, Orion opened its 4 solar panels, made two maneuvers to adjust the orbit around the Earth and separated from the upper stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The crew performed a manual piloting demonstration, using the stage that had propelled the craft as a reference target. The astronauts faced specific problems, such as a temporary communication failure and an adjustment to the onboard toilet, which was normalized at the beginning of the trip.
Still on the first day, the mission released small satellites attached to the launch set and began adapting the astronauts to the space environment, with rest periods, exercises and medical checks. According to NASA, this initial step served to validate the capsule’s central systems before the burn that would put the crew on the way to the Moon.
The is a test mission expected to last 10 days. The objective is not to land on the lunar surface, but to orbit the Moon and return to Earth, without the effects of deep space on astronauts. Among the mission’s focuses are monitoring radiation exposure, the behavior of the human body outside the protection of the Earth’s magnetic field and the crew’s interaction with the capsule’s automated systems.
On Monday (April 6), during the planned passage around the Moon, the 4 astronauts must photograph the surface in high resolution and make observations from the hidden side of the satellite. After that, Orion will begin its return and should land in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego. If the schedule is maintained, the mission will consolidate the first manned flight around the Moon in more than 50 years and pave the way for more ambitious stages of the Artemis program.
