posted 04-04-2026 05:42 PM               

Essentially an open container (reusable, sealable, and drainable) that controls the urine-air interface using capillary forces like my Space Cup does coffee. When you are in cislunar space with a broken toilet, you need contingencies and the CCU replaces the need for about 25 pounds of diapers.

posted 04-04-2026 06:44 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by perineau:
How close did Apollo 13 come to the lunar surface during their flight?

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posted 04-05-2026 09:12 AM               

There will be areas on the far side in light that were hidden in shadow during the Apollo observations.

posted 04-05-2026 09:34 AM               

NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon.

NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon.

NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon.

posted 04-05-2026 11:52 AM               

Hello Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, this is Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke. John Young and I landed on the moon in 1972 in the lunar module we named Orion. I'm glad to see a different kind of Orion helping return humans to the moon as America charts the course to the lunar surface.

Below you on the moon is a photo of my family. 
I pray it reminds you that we in America and all of the world are cheering you on. Thanks to you and the whole team on the ground for building on our Apollo legacy with Artemis. Godspeed and safe travels home.

posted 04-05-2026 05:13 PM               

NASA leaders are providing status updates, answering media questions, and discussing mission activities for flight day five.

posted 04-06-2026 06:29 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Axman:
It's because they will be higher above the surface...

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Next thought on Apollo, were any of the Apollo astronauts at the launch? Also, I am curious why there is no media discussions with former moon explorers.

Maybe I have just missed it but I would have thought interviews with those who had "been there before" would be in the main media. Maybe they want to de-emphasize the early history for the new firsts.

posted 04-06-2026 07:17 AM               

Harrison Schmitt gave an interview to NBC News.

posted 04-06-2026 08:00 AM               

We have a long standing tradition in the astronaut office, the traditional astronaut pin, and when you fly in space you change from silver to gold.

posted 04-06-2026 08:15 AM               

• Stanley Love - Ascent, Orbit 3 (4/2), Orbit 1 (4/6-10)
  
• Raja Chari - Orbit 1 (4/1), Orbit 2 (4/8)
  
• Chris Birch - Orbit 1 (4/2-3)
  
• Jenni Gibbons - Orbit 1 (4/2-6), Orbit 2 (4/8)
  
• Tracey Caldwell Dyson - Orbit 3 (4/2), Orbit 2 (4/3), Orbit 1 (4/8)
  
• Andre Douglas - Orbit 2 (4/6), Orbit 3 (4/8)
  
• Randy Bresnik - Orbit 2 (4/8)
  
• Nichole Ayers - Orbit 2 (4/9)

• Jacki Mahaffey
  
• Amy Dill
  
• Mike Sovinsky
  
• Daniel Surber
  
• Marc Reagan
  
• Sandra Moore
  
• Tess Caswell
  
• Matthew Dunne

posted 04-06-2026 09:12 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
On Sunday (April 5), flight day five, Jeremy Hansen was presented with his gold astronaut pin...

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posted 04-06-2026 10:46 AM               

Hello Artemis II! This is Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. Welcome to my old neighborhood.

When Frank Borman and Bill Anders and I orbited the moon on Apollo 8, we got humanity's first up-close look at the moon and got a view of the home planet that inspired and united people around the world. I am proud to pass that torch on to you as you swing around the moon and lay the groundwork for missions to Mars for the benefit of all.

It is historic day and I know how busy you will be, but do not forget to enjoy the view. So, Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy and all the great teams supporting you, good luck and godspeed from all of here on the good Earth.

That was an awesome message from Jim Lovell. Very cool to hear him welcome us to the neighborhood. It is going to be a good day.

posted 04-06-2026 11:59 AM               

We're about to fly around the Moon.

On Monday, April 6, the four astronauts of Artemis II will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history — breaking the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

They'll sail around the far side of the Moon, photographing lunar features never before seen by human eyes. At their closest point, they'll pass roughly 4,000 miles above the lunar surface.

Highlights include:

• 1:56 p.m. EDT (1756 UTC): Artemis II crew surpasses the Apollo 13 distance record

• 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 UTC): Lunar observation period begins

• 6:47 p.m. EDT (2247 UTC): Predicted loss of communications as Artemis II heads behind the moon (roughly 40 minutes)

• 7:02 p.m. EDT (2302 UTC): Artemis II's closest approach to the Moon

• 7:05 p.m. EDT (2305 UTC): Artemis II reaches its furthest distance from Earth

posted 04-06-2026 06:29 PM               

This patch was flown on the Apollo Eight spacecraft to the flight to the moon 21-27 Dec 1968 — James Lovell, navigator

posted 04-07-2026 08:33 AM               

In this fully illuminated view of the Moon, the near side (the hemisphere we see from Earth), is visible on the right. It is identifiable by the dark splotches that cover its surface. These are ancient lava flows from a time early in the Moon's history when it was volcanically active.

The large crater west of the lava flows is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon's near and far sides. Orientale's left half is not visible from Earth, but in this image we have a full view of the crater. Everything to the left of the crater is the far side, the hemisphere we don't get to see from Earth because the Moon rotates on its axis at the same rate that it orbits round us.

In this view of the Moon, the near side (the hemisphere we see from Earth), is visible at the top half of the Moon disk. It is identifiable by the dark splotches. These are ancient lava flows from a time early in the Moon's history when it was volcanically active. The large crater that appears below the lava flows, dark in the center, is Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon's near and far sides as is partly visible from Earth on the edge of the Moon.

The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface.

This grazing light accentuates the Moon's rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail. Features along the terminator such as Jule Crater, Birkhoff Crater, Stebbins Crater, and surrounding highlands stand out. From this perspective, the interplay of light and shadow highlights the complexity of the lunar surface in ways not visible under full illumination.

The image was captured about three hours into the crew's lunar observation period, as they flew around the far side of the Moon on the sixth day of the mission.

Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II crew's flyby of the Moon. A muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface.

The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth's day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region.

In the foreground, Ohm crater has terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Central peaks form in complex craters when the lunar surface, liquefied on impact, splashes upwards during the crater's formation.

Captured by the Artemis II crew, the heavily cratered terrain of the eastern edge of the South Pole-Aitken basin is seen with the shadowed terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – at the top of the image. The South Pole-Aitken basin is the largest and oldest basin on the Moon, providing a glimpse into an ancient geologic history built up over billions of years.

A close-up view taken by the Artemis II crew of Vavilov Crater on the rim of the older and larger Hertzsprung basin. The right portion of the image shows the transition from smooth material within an inner ring of mountains to more rugged terrain around the rim. Vavilov and other craters and their ejecta are accentuated by long shadows at the terminator, the boundary between lunar day and night. The image was captured with a handheld camera at a focal length of 400 mm, as the crew flew around the far side of the Moon.

Our planet draws closer to passing behind the Moon in this image captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby, about six minutes before Earthset. Earth is in a crescent phase, with sunlight coming from the right. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth's day side, swirling clouds are visible over muted blue in the Australia and Oceania region.

Earth appears tiny as the Moon looms large in this photo taken by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026.

Taken 36 minutes before Earthset, our home planet is visible in the blackness of space off the limb of the illuminated Moon. Earth is in a crescent phase, with sunlight coming from the right. Orientale mare basin, with its dark floor of cooled lava and outer rings of mountains, covers nearly the lower third of the imaged lunar surface. Different colors in the mare hint at its mineral composition. The lines of small indentations above Orientale are secondary crater chains, formed by material ejected during a violent primary impact. Both of the new craters that the Artemis II crew has suggested names for – Integrity and Carroll – are in full view.

The edge of the visible surface of the Moon is called the "lunar limb." Seen from afar, it almost looks like a circular arc – except when backlit, as in other images captured by the Artemis II crew.

Earth sets at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, over the Moon’s curved limb in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew during their journey around the far side of the Moon. Orientale basin is perched on the edge of the visible lunar surface. Hertzsprung Basin appears as two subtle concentric rings, which are interrupted by Vavilov, a younger crater superimposed over the older structure. The lines of indentations are secondary crater chains formed by ejecta from the massive impact that created Orientale.

The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region.

Earthrise captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 7:22 p.m. ET during the Artemis II crew's flyby of the Moon's far side. Earth appears as a delicate crescent, with only its upper edge illuminated. The planet's soft blue hue and scattered white cloud systems stand out against the blackness of space, while the lower portion fades into night.

Taken with a 400 mm lens, the image, Earthrise, reveals a striking alignment of Earth and Moon, with the Moon in the top foreground and the Earth below. Along the lunar horizon, rugged terrain is silhouetted against the bright crescent Earth. Both bodies are oriented with their north poles to the left and south poles to the right, offering a unique perspective of our home planet from deep space. This photo was rotated 90 degrees clockwise for standard viewing orientation.

During their lunar flyby observation period, the Artemis II crew captured this image at 3:41 p.m. EDT, showing the rings of the Orientale basin, one of the Moon's youngest and best-preserved large impact craters. These concentric rings offer scientists a rare window into how massive impacts shape planetary surfaces, helping refine models of crater formation and the Moon's geologic history. At the 10 o'clock position of the Orientale basin, the two smaller craters – which the Artemis II crew has suggested be named Integrity and Carroll – are visible. These features highlight how crew observations can directly support surface feature identification and real-time science.

The Artemis II crew – Mission Specialist Christina Koch (top left), Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (bottom left), Commander Reid Wiseman (bottom right), and Pilot Victor Glover (top right) – uses eclipse viewers, identical to what NASA produced for the 2023 annular eclipse and 2024 total solar eclipse, to protect their eyes at key moments during the solar eclipse they experienced during their lunar flyby. This was the first use of eclipse glasses at the Moon to safely view a solar eclipse.

Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew's perspective, the Moon appears large enough to completely block the Sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and extending the view far beyond what is possible from Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun's outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness.

Also visible are stars, typically too faint to see when imaging the Moon, but with the Moon in darkness stars are readily imaged. This unique vantage point provides both a striking visual and a valuable opportunity for astronauts to document and describe the corona during humanity's return to deep space. The faint glow of the nearside of the Moon is visible in this image, having been illuminated by light reflected off the Earth.

A close-up view from the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II crew's lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, captures a total solar eclipse, with only part of the Moon visible in the frame as it fully obscures the Sun. Although the full lunar disk extends beyond the image, the Sun's faint corona remains visible as a soft halo of light around the Moon's edge. From this deep-space vantage point, the Moon appeared large enough to sustain nearly 54 minutes of totality, far longer than total solar eclipses typically seen from Earth.

This cropped perspective emphasizes the scale of the alignment and reveals subtle structure in the corona during the rare, extended eclipse observed by the crew. The bright silver glint on the left edge of the image is the planet Venus. The round, dark gray feature visible along the Moon's horizon between the 9 and 10 o'clock positions is Mare Crisium, a feature visible from Earth. We see faint lunar features because light reflected off of Earth provides a source of illumination.

Captured from the Orion spacecraft near the end of the Artemis II lunar flyby on April 6, this image shows the Sun beginning to peek out from behind the Moon as the eclipse transitions out of totality. Only a portion of the Moon is visible in frame, its curved edge revealing a bright sliver of sunlight returning after nearly an hour of darkness.

In final moments of the eclipse observed by the crew, the reemerging light creates a sharp contrast against the Moon's silhouette and reveals lunar topography not usually visible along the lunar limb.

This fleeting phase captures the dynamic alignment of the Sun, Moon, and spacecraft as Orion continues its journey back from the far side of the Moon.

posted 04-07-2026 12:04 PM               

I looked at the image for a long time after seeing it for the first time. Its so amazing that I was hesitant to believe it to be a real photo. My eyes and brain somehow could not process such beauty.

posted 04-07-2026 09:15 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Headshot:
The third from the last image of the Moon framed by the sun's corona is one of the most awesome pictures I have ever seen.

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posted 04-08-2026 09:21 AM               

NASA's Orion spacecraft captures the Moon and the Earth in one frame during the Artemis II crew's deep space journey at 6:42 p.m. ET on the sixth day of the mission. The right side of NASA's Orion spacecraft is seen lit up by the Sun. A waxing crescent Moon is visible behind it. And then, a crescent Earth, tiny compared to the Moon, is about to set below the Moon's horizon on the right.

The Moon, backlit by the Sun during a solar eclipse, is photographed by NASA's Orion spacecraft on April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II mission. Orion is visible in the foreground on the left. Earth is reflecting sunlight at the left edge of the Moon, which is slightly brighter than the rest of the disk. The bright spot visible just below the Moon's bottom right edge is Saturn. Beyond that, the bright spot at the right edge of the image is Mars.

The Moon, seen here backlit by the Sun during a solar eclipse on April 6, 2026, is photographed by one of the cameras on the Orion spacecraft's solar array wings. Orion is visible in the foreground on the left. Earth is reflecting sunlight at the left edge of the Moon, which is slightly brighter than the rest of the disk. The bright spot visible just below the Moon's bottom right edge is Saturn. Beyond that, the bright spot at the right edge of the image is Mars.

posted 04-08-2026 10:27 AM               

"... Meanwhile, this ship arranges its own eclipses." - Lt. Jerry Farman, to Commander Adams of United Planets Cruise C57D

posted 04-08-2026 04:39 PM               

I've always loved that theme. An appropriate theme for such magnificent images my mind can barely comprehend. Just wow!

posted 04-08-2026 05:37 PM            

The one image I have seen of "Earthrise 2026" is startling, but does not seem to have captured anyone's imagination. I haven't seen it anywhere in the media. I think the reason is that, however remarkable the content of the image, it just doesn't have the same aesthetic power of the "Earthset" images.

posted 04-08-2026 06:06 PM               

Artemis II mission specialist Jeremy Hansen is seen through a window of the Orion spacecraft while on his way to the moon. This selfie-style photo was taken using a camera on the end of one of Orion's solar array wings on flight day 4 of the approximately 10-day test flight, when Orion was more than halfway to the moon.

Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch (center) and Commander Reid Wiseman (top) are seen through windows of the Orion spacecraft while on their way to the moon.

Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch is seen through a window of the Orion spacecraft while on her way to the moon. Koch is holding "Rise," the zero gravity indicator that launched with the crew.

posted 04-08-2026 09:39 PM               

Join us as Artemis II astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft hold a news conference to answer media questions on their way home to Earth.

posted 04-09-2026 02:34 PM               

I have also added names of some interesting features. I can only image the kind of information the Artemis Science Group will get out of these images.

posted 04-10-2026 04:09 PM               

Around the Moon and back. Watch the Artemis II astronauts come home.

posted 04-10-2026 07:41 PM               

A big thank you, Robert, for all your great reporting on this: you kept us right there.

posted 04-10-2026 08:31 PM               

A big thank you to Intuitive Machines whose support made our coverage possible.

And thank you to all who read collectSPACE over the past 10 days. Our web stats show we had an influx of new visitors and I have a backlog of forum membership registrations to approve. Glad to have you all here!