Category Archives: SCIENCE

Artemis II Update-24, Day 9: Second Return Correction Burn Complete

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Thrusters Fire To Steer Orion Home:

At 10:53 p.m. EDT, the Orion spacecraft executed a brief nine-second thruster burn, increasing its velocity by 5.3 feet per second and nudging the Artemis II crew further along their return path to Earth.

With the maneuver complete, the crew has now crossed the halfway mark on their journey home.

Temporary Signal Loss Resolved

Roughly two hours before the burn, mission teams encountered an unexpected return link loss of signal during a data rate transition, briefly disrupting the flow of communications and telemetry from the spacecraft.

Two-way contact was subsequently restored, allowing flight controllers and crew to resume preparations for the scheduled maneuver without further delay.

art002e016204 (April 6, 2026) – NASA astronaut and Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover pictured here in the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II lunar flyby. Glover and his fellow crewmates spent approximately seven hours taking turns at the Orion windows capturing science data to share with their team back on Earth. At closest approach, they came within 4,067 miles of the Moon’s surface.NASA

Re-Entry Briefings And Next Steps

Earlier in the day, officials from NASA provided additional details on re-entry and splashdown procedures during a mission status briefing.

The next key milestone—a third return trajectory correction burn—is planned for April 10 at approximately 1:53 p.m., ahead of final re-entry operations.

Splashdown Target Remains On Track

NASA continues to target splashdown at 8:07 p.m. (5:07 p.m. PDT) on Friday, April 10, off the coast of San Diego, as the Artemis II mission enters its final phase of return.

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Artemis II Update-21, Day 7: First Return Correction Burn Complete

Monitoring over deep space network before artemis II signal acquisition

Who is Dan Florez in Artemis Mission Program

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Dan Florez is one of the NASA test directors for the Exploration Ground Systems Program. The test directors are a group of 20 engineers at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida who plan and execute integrated testing for Artemis missions. Their work includes developing timelines and procedures for launch countdown, propellant loading, emergency egress, pad and launch abort scenarios, recovery operations, and more. They help lead the ground systems team in all areas of testing.

At the time of Artemis I launch, Florez and his fellow test directors had already developed the launch countdown timelines for Artemis II.

“We were really focused on loading that spacecraft with cryogenic propellants and successfully launching it. With Artemis II, we’re going to have to do all that again, but in the middle of that, we’re going to have to embed the crew timeline to get the crew safely inside the spacecraft, get all the systems checked out, and launch them into space,” Florez said. “And we have to do the same thing on the tail end through recovery. So, there’s a lot of complexities when you have the human element thrown into the operation.”

Since Artemis I, Florez has focused his work even more heavily on the human element, taking on rescue and recovery operations.

“We have to have a plan to go get to the crew if we have an abort, if we land anywhere in the world within 24 hours,” said Florez. “My role right now is to do a lot of that coordination to make sure we have all the assets and all the resources in place to get to the crew.”

When the Artemis II crew returns to Earth aboard the Orion spacecraft, Florez will be there, prepared and ready with NASA’s Landing and Recovery Team and the U.S. military.

“We have a great partnership with the military. We have the Human Spaceflight Support Office within the Air Force that support us directly for not just for recovery operations, but also for any of the rescue operations”.

Dan Florez, NASA Test Director, Exploration Ground Systems Program

Recovery operations are routinely verified and validated in what is called an underway recovery test. NASA and Navy teams board a U.S. Navy ship and travel off the coast of San Diego to test retrieving the capsule and getting the crew safely on the ship. In late February 2024, the Artemis II crew joined the recovery team’s eleventh iteration of testing called, URT-11.

“It was really great to have that perspective of having astronauts in the loop during our test operations,” said Florez. “Everywhere along the way, we got feedback from them.”

Artemis II launched at 6:35 p.m. EDT April 1, from Launch Complex 39B, sending NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on their approximately 10-day mission around the Moon.

A wave breaks inside the well deck of USS Somerset as teams work to recover the Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full scale replica of the Orion spacecraft, as they practice Artemis recovery operations during Underway Recovery Test-12 off the coast of California, Thursday, March 27, 2025. NASA/Joel Kowsky

Florez and his colleagues are prepared and ready to apply everything they tested to recover the crew.

“Watching them launch is going to be great. I’m going to be happier when they land”.

Dan Florez, NASA Test Director, Exploration Ground Systems Program

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Deep Space Network Establishes Contact With Artemis II Spacecraft

JPL’s Mission Control Steps Up For Artemis II Deep Space Operations

 

 

Monitoring over deep space network before artemis II signal acquisition

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Blanca Renteria, operations chief for the Artemis Deep Space Network (DSN), monitored incoming data from the Space Flight Operations Facility at Jet Propulsion Laboratory shortly after Artemis II lifted off on April 1, 2026.

The launch took place at 6:35 p.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center, with mission control teams quickly transitioning to deep space communication support.

The Space Flight Operations Facility manages NASA’s DSN, a worldwide system consisting of three primary complexes located in Goldstone, California; Madrid, Spain; and Canberra, Australia.

Each site is equipped with multiple radio-frequency antennas that maintain continuous communication with numerous robotic missions across the solar system, alongside the crewed Artemis II spacecraft.

NASA

Backbone Of Deep Space Communication

The DSN is operated by JPL under NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation programme, based at the agency’s headquarters within the Space Operations Mission Directorate.

This network enables mission teams to track spacecraft, transmit commands, and receive scientific data across vast distances. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory itself is managed by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, on behalf of NASA.

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JPL’s Mission Control Steps Up For Artemis II Deep Space Operations

Artemis II mission: LUCA and LESA support Artemis safety, success as crew prepares return journey

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NASA’s Artemis II mission is drawing support from a pair of nearly identical control rooms in Alabama, each playing a distinct role in keeping astronauts safe and operations on track as the crew heads back to Earth, Friday, April 10.

At the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, two facilities, the Lunar Utilization Control Area (LUCA) and the Lander Engineering Support Area (LESA), are working in tandem during the mission. Both are housed within the Huntsville Operations Support Center, a hub designed to provide real-time technical and scientific support.

Though similar in appearance, the two rooms serve different purposes. LUCA focuses on science operations linked to Artemis, while LESA is geared toward engineering support, particularly for future missions that will land astronauts on the Moon.

LUCA (Lunar Utilization Control Area) at NASA Marshall is specially designed to support a wide variety of science operations on and around the Moon – and beyond. Engineers in the LUCA monitored operations for the Lunar Node-1 experiment, an autonomous navigation payload that was part of the first NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) launch on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander in 2024. NASA Marshall flight controllers will use the LUCA again for Artemis II to monitor science operations.
NASA/Charles Beason

Officials say the flexibility of the Huntsville center allows it to adapt to evolving mission needs. The facility has previously supported programs including the Commercial Crew Program, the Space Launch System rocket and research aboard the International Space Station.

Teams operating from LUCA are currently supporting science experiments tied to deep space conditions. These include studies examining how microgravity and radiation affect the human body, including immune response and overall performance. Data gathered during Artemis II is expected to shape planning for future crewed missions beyond Earth orbit.

Support engineers will use the LESA (Lander Engineering Support Area) at NASA Marshall to monitor human landing system (HLS) for the first crewed Artemis missions.
NASA/Charles Beason

In parallel, LESA teams are monitoring Artemis II operations in real time, using the mission as a live test case to refine procedures ahead of future lunar landings. Engineers, safety specialists and flight operations experts form part of the Human Landing System Mission Insight Support Team, which will eventually play a central role in supporting lander systems during Moon missions.

The Huntsville Operations Support Center also provides a range of technical services, including spacecraft command and telemetry management, global voice communications, and live and recorded video support. It also deploys specialized software tools that enable seamless data exchange between systems located far apart, allowing teams across different locations to work in sync.

By integrating these capabilities into both LUCA and LESA, NASA enables continuous coordination between engineers, scientists and mission operators worldwide.

Artemis II, which recently carried astronauts around the Moon, is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface. The program is also intended to lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars, with lessons from current flights feeding directly into long-term exploration plans.

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Artemis II Update-22, Day 8: Crew conducts key tests as they begin their return journey

Artemis II Update-20, Day 7: ISS Crew Connects With Artemis II Astronauts Amid Busy Research Schedule

Artemis II Update-22, Day 8: Crew conducts key tests as they begin their return journey

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Artemis II moved into another critical phase of its return journey as the crew began Flight Day 8 with a focus on testing systems and preparing for reentry.

 

Artemis II Update-20, Day 7: ISS Crew Connects With Artemis II Astronauts Amid Busy Research Schedule

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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station spoke with the Artemis II crew on April 8 following their lunar flyby, marking a rare ship-to-ship exchange between deep space and low Earth orbit. The Artemis II crew is returning to Earth after circling the Moon, while Expedition 74 astronauts continued biomedical research and mission training aboard the station. The interaction highlighted how ongoing ISS science supports future lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis program.

For a few minutes on Tuesday, two crews separated by hundreds of thousands of miles shared the same conversation.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) connected with their counterparts on NASA’s Artemis II mission, offering a rare moment of overlap between low Earth orbit operations and deep space travel. The call came just a day after Artemis II astronauts completed a historic lunar flyby and began their journey home.

On one side were Expedition 74 crew members Chris Williams, Jack Hathaway and Jessica Meir of NASA, along with Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency (ESA). On the other were Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, joined by Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

The Artemis II crew is traveling aboard Orion, returning to Earth after looping around the Moon in NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in decades.

ISS and Artemis II crew exchange experiences after lunar flyby

The conversation turned quickly to comparison.

Station astronauts asked about differences between spacecraft, while Artemis II crew members described the experience of seeing the Moon up close. Christina Koch, drawing on her own time aboard the ISS, linked the two missions directly.

“Every single thing that we learned on ISS is up here,” Koch said, referring to how station-based training translates to deep space operations.

The exchange underscored a key role of the ISS within the Artemis program. The orbiting laboratory functions as a proving ground where astronauts refine procedures, test systems and adapt to long-duration spaceflight before venturing farther from Earth.

For NASA and its partners, that continuity is central. The Artemis II mission builds on lessons accumulated over years of station operations.

The Artemis II crew – (clockwise from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover – pause for a group photo with their zero gravity indicator “Rise,” inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the Moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.

Space station biomedical research supports Artemis and future missions

While the call captured public attention, the station’s daily schedule remained anchored in research.

Crew members conducted a series of biomedical scans using the Ultrasound 3 device, focusing on how spaceflight affects the human body. Doctors on the ground monitored the scans in real time, looking for signs of blood clots that can form in leg veins and travel to the lungs.

Such risks have become a growing area of study as missions extend beyond short orbital stays. Data collected aboard the ISS feeds directly into planning for longer journeys, including missions to the Moon and eventually Mars.

Jessica Meir also contributed to the RelaxPro investigation, an ESA-sponsored study examining stress and immune responses in space. She collected saliva and hair samples that researchers will analyze on Earth for hormonal and immune markers.

The study explores whether mindfulness and meditation techniques can improve sleep quality and reduce stress during long-duration missions.

Cargo mission training and robotic systems testing on ISS

Operational training continued alongside scientific work.

Williams and Hathaway simulated the capture of the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft using the Canadarm2 robotic system. Mission planners are targeting April 10 for the launch of the resupply mission aboard a **SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which will deliver supplies and experiments to the station.

Elsewhere, Sophie Adenot worked inside the Japanese Kibo laboratory module, setting up a compact experimental robotic arm known as TUSK. The system is being tested for precise movements at sub-millimeter levels in microgravity, a capability that could support delicate operations in future missions.

Adenot later joined fellow astronauts for emergency response simulations, rehearsing procedures designed to prepare crews for unexpected situations in orbit.

Roscosmos crew studies teamwork and fitness in orbit

Russian crew members also focused on research tied to long-duration missions.

Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergei Mikaev, both representing Roscosmos, participated in experiments examining team dynamics and physical conditioning in space. One study involved progressively complex computer tasks requiring cooperation, allowing researchers to observe how crews adapt to working together in confined environments.

The findings may influence crew training for future missions beyond Earth orbit.

Kud-Sverchkov later completed a monitored exercise session using an onboard cycle, while Mikaev assisted with health data collection.

Meanwhile, Andrey Fedyaev continued training with the European robotic arm inside the Nauka module, practicing both primary and backup control modes to ensure operational readiness.

The day’s activities reflected a layered mission environment.

On one level, astronauts pushed the boundaries of human spaceflight, exchanging insights between deep space and orbit. On another, they maintained a steady cadence of experiments and training that will shape future exploration.

The Artemis II crew moves farther from the Moon with each passing hour. The ISS crew remains in orbit, continuing work that helps make those journeys possible.

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Artemis II Update-19, Day 7: Crew Makes Long‑Distance Call, Prepares for Earth Return

President Trump Calls Artemis II Astronauts before crew wraps up historic Lunar Flyby [Watch Videos]

Artemis II Update-19, Day 7: Crew Makes Long‑Distance Call, Prepares for Earth Return

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NASA’s Artemis II crew began their return journey to Earth on April 7 after completing a historic lunar flyby a day earlier. The crew, traveling aboard the Orion spacecraft about 236,000 miles from Earth, exited the Moon’s gravitational influence and initiated return procedures. The mission includes a call with International Space Station astronauts, scientific debriefs, and a planned trajectory correction burn to refine their path home.

The Artemis II crew woke to music and a long journey ahead.

Less than 24 hours after looping around the Moon, four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft began the slow pivot back toward Earth. They started Flight Day 7 roughly 236,000 miles from home, still carrying the momentum of a mission that marked humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo-era flights more than five decades ago.

The crew of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, crossed a key threshold early in the day. At 1:23 p.m. Eastern Time, Orion exited the Moon’s sphere of influence, the region where lunar gravity dominates spacecraft motion.

That transition marked a turning point. From that moment, Earth’s gravity again became the primary force shaping Orion’s path.

A quiet shift. But a decisive one.

Lunar Selfie
Midway through their lunar observation period, the Artemis II crew members – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – pause to turn the camera around for a selfie inside the Orion spacecraft.
Image Credit: NASA

Artemis II crew ISS call with Expedition 74 astronauts

Even as the spacecraft moved farther from the Moon, the crew maintained contact with colleagues in orbit closer to Earth.

At 2:40 p.m., Artemis II astronauts connected with crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a scheduled 15-minute audio call. On the station were NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, along with European astronaut Sophie Adenot of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The exchange, broadcast via NASA’s official channels, offered a rare ship-to-ship moment between astronauts operating at vastly different distances from Earth.

Such interactions serve both technical and symbolic purposes. They allow crews to compare conditions, share observations, and reinforce coordination across missions that together define current human spaceflight.

Lunar flyby data and science debrief after close Moon pass

Attention quickly shifted from conversation to analysis.

At 3 p.m., the Artemis II crew joined science teams on the ground for a detailed debrief. The timing was deliberate. Mission planners wanted to capture observations while impressions from the lunar flyby remained fresh.

The April 6 flyby carried Orion around the far side of the Moon, a region not visible from Earth. During that pass, astronauts documented surface features, lighting conditions and spacecraft performance, data expected to support planning for future Artemis missions.

NASA has positioned Artemis II as a test flight. Its purpose extends beyond demonstration to refinement. Every observation feeds into subsequent missions, including planned crewed landings under the Artemis program.

Engineers and scientists are expected to analyze crew feedback alongside telemetry data in the coming weeks.

(April 6, 2026) – 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. NASA

Orion return trajectory correction burn details and timing

The most critical maneuver of the day was scheduled for later.

At 9:03 p.m., Orion’s thrusters were set to ignite for the first of three planned return trajectory correction burns. These burns are designed to fine-tune the spacecraft’s path toward Earth, ensuring precise reentry conditions.

Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen were assigned to monitor spacecraft systems and oversee procedures during the maneuver. Such burns require exact timing and calibration, as even small deviations at this distance can translate into large trajectory changes closer to Earth.

NASA officials have described the return phase as a series of incremental adjustments rather than a single decisive action. Each burn builds on the last, gradually aligning Orion with its targeted splashdown corridor.

Between scheduled tasks, the crew was given staggered off-duty periods.

The downtime serves operational needs as much as personal ones. Rest cycles help maintain cognitive performance, particularly as the mission enters phases requiring sustained attention and procedural accuracy.

NASA scheduled a mission status briefing later in the day to provide updates on spacecraft systems, crew health and trajectory progress.

The Artemis II mission, part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, aims to reestablish human presence beyond low Earth orbit. Unlike earlier missions confined to orbital paths around Earth, Artemis II pushes into deep space, testing systems required for sustained lunar exploration.

Flight Day 7 marked a transition from exploration to return.

The Moon receded behind them. Earth, still distant, became the destination again.

The path home had begun.

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Artemis II Update-17, Day 6: Lunar Flyby Updates

Artemis II Update-17, Day 6: Lunar Flyby Updates

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Live lunar flyby updates for NASA’s Artemis II mission will be published on this page. All times are Eastern.

9:35 p.m.

The Artemis II crew has completed the mission’s lunar observation period and is now beginning the return trip home. On Tuesday, April 7, Orion will exit the lunar sphere of influence at approximately 1:25 p.m., at a distance of 41,072 miles from the Moon.

8:35 p.m. 

Artemis II is now entering a solar eclipse that will last for about an hour as Orion, the Moon and the Sun align. During this phase, the crew will see the Sun disappear behind a mostly darkened Moon.

The crew will use the opportunity to study the solar corona — the Sun’s outermost atmosphere — as it glows around the lunar edge. They also will watch for flashes of light from meteoroids striking the surface, which could offer insight into potential hazards on the Moon.

7:24 p.m.

The Artemis II crew witnessed an Earthrise as Orion emerged from behind the Moon, moments before the Deep Space Network reacquired the spacecraft’s signal and restored communications.

7:02 p.m. 

The Artemis II crew has reached the mission’s maximum distance from Earth at 252,756 miles, setting a new record for human spaceflight. This milestone places the crew 4,111 miles farther from Earth than the Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

7:00 p.m. 

Orion has reached its closest approach to the Moon at about 4,067 miles above the lunar surface. At this point, the spacecraft is traveling about 60,863 miles an hour relative to Earth, but only 3,139 miles an hour relative to the Moon.

6:44 p.m. 

“As we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still going to feel your love from Earth. And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you, from the Moon. We will see you on the other side.” Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

Victor Glover, Artemis II Pilot

The Orion spacecraft has entered a planned communications blackout as it passes behind the Moon. For about 40 minutes, the lunar surface blocks the radio signals from NASA’s Deep Space Network on Earth needed to stay in contact with the crew.

Similar blackouts occurred during the Artemis I and Apollo missions and are expected when using an Earth-based communications system. Once Orion emerges from behind the Moon, the network will quickly reacquire the signal and restore communications with mission control.

6:41 p.m. 

As Orion traveled behind the Moon, the crew witnessed an “Earthset” — the moment Earth dropped below the lunar horizon — marking another milestone in the mission’s lunar flyby.

The Earth will re-emerge at “Earthrise” from the opposite edge of the Moon in about 40 minutes.

4:40 p.m.

A lively stream of science observations from the crew throughout the flyby has been received with grins, nods, and lots of chatter in the Science Evaluation Room, where lunar scientists are supporting the observations in mission control. The crew reported color nuances, which will help enhance scientific understandings of the Moon. Shades of browns and blues that can be picked out with human eyes can help reveal the mineral composition of a feature and its age. As crew reports are received, the science team is updating the observation plan based on their follow up questions and sending up new guidance to the crew.

2:45 p.m.

Due to last approximately seven hours, the lunar observation period is the duration of time that the crew is close enough to the Moon to make impactful science observations (4,070 miles altitude at closest approach) and the spacecraft is oriented such that the windows are pointed at the Moon.

At the beginning of the window, as Orion approaches the Moon on the near side, the side we can see from Earth, people in parts of the eastern hemisphere can view some of the same features the astronauts will observe. These include future CLPS landing site Reiner Gamma, a bright, mysterious swirl the origin of which scientists are still trying to understand, and Glushko, a bright, 27-mile-wide crater known for the white streaks that shoot out from it for up to 500 miles.

1:56 p.m. 

The Artemis II crew of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen have set the record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by a human mission, surpassing the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles set in 1970.

“As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration. We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything that we hold dear. But we most importantly choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived.” Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist

Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist.
NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd, Capsule Communicator Amy Dill, and Command and Handling Data Officer Brandon Borter also marked a lighthearted milestone today by emailing the crew what is now assumed to be the longest person-to-person message ever sent in human history.

(Shortly after 2 p.m. EDT, the crew described two small, unnamed craters on the heavily pockmarked lunar surface. Calling down to Earth, they suggested provisional names for them. Just northwest of Orientale basin, highlighted above, is a crater they would like to name Integrity after their spacecraft and this historic mission. Just northeast of the Integrity crater, on the near and far side boundary, and sometimes visible from Earth, the crew suggested an unnamed crater be designated Carroll in honor of Reid Weisman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who passed away on May 17, 2020. After this mission is complete, the crater name proposals will be formally submitted to the International Astronomical Union, an organization that governs the naming of celestial bodies and their surface features.NASA)

After breaking the record for human spaceflight, crew also took a moment to provisionally name a couple of craters on the Moon, noting they were able to see them with their naked eye.

Just northwest of Orientale basin highlighted above is a crater they would like to name Integrity after their spacecraft and this historic mission. Just northeast of Integrity, on the near and far side boundary, and sometimes visible from Earth, the crew suggested Carroll crater in honor of Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. After this mission is complete, the crater name proposals will be formally submitted to the International Astronomical Union, the organization that governs the naming of celestial bodies and their surface features.

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman is pictured with his late wife Carroll Taylor Wiseman.
Wiseman Family

1:30 p.m.

NASA’s lunar science officer briefed the crew on their science objectives for the upcoming lunar observation period.

On April 5, the science team sent the crew the final list of 30 lunar surface targets, including the Orientale basin, a nearly 600-mile-wide crater that straddles the Moon’s near and far sides. This 3.8-billion-year-old crater formed when a large object struck the lunar surface and retains clear evidence of that collision, including dramatic topography in its rings. The crew will study Orientale’s features up close and from multiple angles as they pass by.

Hertzsprung basin also is on the crew’s list of targets. Northwest of Orientale, it is a nearly 400-mile-wide crater on the Moon’s far side. An older ringed basin, Hertzsprung offers a unique contrast to Orientale because its features have been degraded by subsequent impacts. By comparing the topography of the two craters, the crew’s observations will help scientists gain insight into how lunar features evolve over geologic timescales.

1 p.m.

NASA’s live coverage of the Artemis II lunar flyby is underway on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, and Roku, alongside the agency’s 24/7 coverage on its YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

Coverage will include live views of the Moon from cameras mounted on Orion’s solar arrays. Image and view quality may vary throughout the lunar observation period due to distance from Earth, system limitations, and bandwidth across NASA’s communications network.

Note: The spacecraft will enter a planned communications blackout from 6:44 to 7:25 p.m. EDT as Orion passes behind the Moon. Spacecraft camera views will not be available during this time, but NASA’s live coverage will continue.

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Artemis II Update-9, Day 3: NASA cancels first trajectory correction burn

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NASA confirmed on April 4 that Artemis II’s first planned trajectory correction burn was canceled after Orion remained on its precise path to the Moon. The crew, traveling toward a scheduled lunar flyby on April 6, continues operations without the need for immediate adjustments. Mission controllers in Houston determined the spacecraft’s trajectory required no correction at this stage, with future burns still available if needed.

 

Artemis II Update-8, Day 3 : Crew prepares for first correction burn, readies lunar flyby tasks

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NASA’s Artemis II crew began Flight Day 3 on April 4 after departing Earth’s orbit earlier in the mission, preparing for their first trajectory correction burn as Orion heads toward the Moon. The four astronauts, currently nearly 100,000 miles from Earth, are also training for lunar observations scheduled during a flyby on April 6. The day’s schedule includes spacecraft operations, medical drills, and communication system tests as the mission advances deeper into space.

 

 

Astronomers Spot “Sneezing” Baby Stars Creating Massive Rings In Space

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Astronomers in Japan have identified a new phase in early star formation, where young protostars release magnetic energy and form large gas rings. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, used observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile to examine a stellar nursery in the Taurus Molecular Cloud. Researchers say the findings help explain how newborn stars shed excess energy and stabilize during their earliest stages.

 

Artemis II Update-7, Day 2 : Orion completes Translunar Injection burn , crew begins journey to Moon

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NASA’s Artemis II crew began their journey to the Moon on April 2 after Orion completed a translunar injection burn lasting nearly six minutes. The maneuver sent astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen out of Earth orbit for the first time since 1972. The spacecraft is now on a trajectory toward a planned lunar flyby, with scientific observations scheduled in the coming days.

For the first time in more than half a century, humans are no longer orbiting Earth. They are heading for the Moon.

At 7:49 p.m. Eastern Time on April 2, NASA’s Orion spacecraft ignited its engine and began accelerating out of Earth’s gravitational hold. The burn lasted five minutes and 50 seconds. When it ended, Artemis II had crossed a threshold not reached since the Apollo era.

The mission, led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is now on a trajectory that will carry its crew around the Moon and back.

Translunar injection burn performance and Orion trajectory

The translunar injection burn marked the mission’s most consequential maneuver to date. Orion’s main engine, capable of producing up to 6,000 pounds of thrust, fired as planned, pushing the spacecraft onto a path toward the Moon.

At the time of ignition, Orion had a mass of about 58,000 pounds. During the burn, it consumed roughly 1,000 pounds of propellant, according to NASA mission data.

The maneuver required precise timing and alignment. Even small deviations could shift the spacecraft’s trajectory over the distance between Earth and the Moon.

With the burn complete, Orion is no longer bound to low Earth orbit. It is now traveling along a translunar path that will bring the crew into the Moon’s vicinity in the coming days.

The milestone places Artemis II alongside historic missions such as Apollo 17, which marked the last time astronauts traveled beyond Earth orbit.

NASA

Crew operations, exercise systems, and onboard experiments

As Orion moves deeper into space, the crew has begun settling into daily operations designed for long-duration missions.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch are joined by Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency.

The astronauts are using a compact flywheel exercise device to maintain physical conditioning. The system relies on a cable-based mechanism that provides resistance based on applied force, supporting both aerobic and strength exercises. It can generate loads of up to 400 pounds while weighing only about 30 pounds, a design suited to the mass constraints of deep space missions.

By comparison, exercise equipment aboard the International Space Station weighs several thousand pounds and occupies far more space. Orion’s system is designed to deliver similar benefits in a much smaller footprint.

During exercise sessions, ground teams monitored Orion’s air revitalization system, which regulates oxygen, carbon dioxide, and cabin conditions. Engineers also assessed how crew movement affects spacecraft stability.

The crew has also completed checks on the AVATAR scientific payload, part of the mission’s broader research objectives.

Trajectory for Artemis II, NASA’s first flight with crew aboard SLS, Orion to pave the way for long-term return to the Moon, missions to Mars

Communications glitch resolved and lunar science plan begins

Engineers investigated a brief loss of two-way communication that occurred earlier in the mission. NASA determined the issue stemmed from a ground configuration problem involving the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite system.

The system, which supports communication between spacecraft and Earth, was quickly reconfigured. NASA reported no impact on mission operations.

Attention is now shifting toward the upcoming lunar flyby. A dedicated science team has begun developing a Lunar Targeting Plan, which will guide what the crew observes during a roughly six-hour window near the Moon on April 6.

The plan includes studying surface features such as impact craters, ancient lava plains, and tectonic structures. These observations are intended to support research into the Moon’s formation and the broader history of the solar system.

One planned highlight is a solar eclipse visible from Orion’s vantage point. As the Moon blocks the Sun, the crew will have an opportunity to observe the solar corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, and look for flashes caused by meteoroid impacts on the lunar surface.

The sequence of events marks a transition point. Artemis II has moved beyond Earth orbit and into deep space, carrying its crew toward a destinatio:n that has not hosted human visitors in decades.

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Artemis II Update-5: Perigee raise burn complete, translunar injection burn next

Artemis II Update-6, Day 2 : Crew, houston poll ‘Go’ for Translunar injection burn, crew prepares for Moon flight

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NASA approved the translunar injection burn for Artemis II on April 2, clearing the Orion spacecraft to leave Earth orbit at 7:49 p.m. EDT. The burn will send astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen toward the Moon for the first time since 1972. The decision follows a mission management review confirming spacecraft readiness and system performance.

The call came from Houston after a day of checks and calculations. The answer was simple. Go.

With that, NASA cleared Artemis II to attempt the maneuver that will send its crew beyond Earth orbit. If executed as planned, the burn will place humans on a path toward the Moon for the first time in more than five decades.

The mission marks a major step for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to deep space operations.

Translunar injection burn timing and Orion engine performance

The translunar injection burn is scheduled to begin at 7:49 p.m. Eastern Time. Orion’s main engine will fire for five minutes and 49 seconds, providing the acceleration needed to break free from Earth’s orbit.

The engine, located on the spacecraft’s service module, produces up to 6,000 pounds of thrust. NASA compares that output to accelerating a car from zero to 60 miles per hour in about 2.7 seconds.

The burn must be executed with precise timing and orientation. Even minor deviations can alter the spacecraft’s path over the hundreds of thousands of miles between Earth and the Moon.

Flight controllers will track engine performance, guidance systems, and navigation data in real time to ensure Orion remains aligned with its intended trajectory.

NASA flight directors Rick Henfling (right) and Judd Frieling (left) sit on console in Mission Control’s White Flight Control room during NASA’s Artemis II mission launch on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
ROBERT MARKOWITZ NASA-JSC

Crew activities and first full day operations in space

Earlier in the day, the Artemis II crew began their first full schedule of in-space operations. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch were joined by Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency.

Mission control woke the crew at 2:35 p.m. Eastern Time with the song “Green Light” by John Legend and Andre 3000, continuing a long-standing NASA tradition of musical wake-up calls.

The astronauts moved into preparations for the burn, reviewing procedures and monitoring spacecraft systems. They also conducted their first exercise session using Orion’s flywheel-based device, designed to help maintain muscle and bone health in microgravity.

Exercise equipment is a standard feature for crewed missions, particularly those that extend beyond low Earth orbit. Maintaining physical conditioning becomes critical as mission duration increases.

The hours leading up to the burn are structured around system checks, communication with ground teams, and final readiness confirmations.

The Artemis II mission is designed as a test flight. Yet the stakes of this maneuver are clear. Once the engine fires, the crew will begin a journey that carries them away from Earth and toward the Moon, retracing a path last taken during the Apollo era.

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Artemis II Update-5: Perigee raise burn complete, translunar injection burn next

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NASA confirmed the Artemis II crew completed the perigee raise burn on April 2, firing Orion’s engine for 43 seconds to refine its orbit around Earth. The maneuver placed the spacecraft into a stable high Earth orbit ahead of a planned translunar injection later the same day. Mission managers will review system performance before approving the burn that would send astronauts toward the Moon for the first time since 1972.

The Artemis II crew woke to music and a tightly timed task. Minutes later, they were watching their spacecraft reshape its path around Earth.

Inside Orion, the capsule named Integrity, astronauts monitored systems as the engine fired for just over 40 seconds. The burn was brief. Its impact on the mission trajectory was not.

The maneuver marked another step in a sequence designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to prepare astronauts for a return to deep space operations.

Perigee raise burn details and Orion orbit adjustment

The perigee raise burn began after a scheduled wake-up at 7:06 a.m. Eastern Time, when mission control in Houston signaled the crew with the song “Sleepyhead” by Young and Sick.

Shortly after, Orion’s service module main engine ignited. It burned for 43 seconds, increasing the spacecraft’s perigee, the lowest point in its orbit around Earth.

This adjustment refined Orion’s trajectory, placing it into a stable high Earth orbit. The new orbit aligns with the spacecraft’s planned path for departure toward the Moon.

Engineers design these burns to test propulsion precision under real mission conditions. Small timing or thrust variations can significantly alter a spacecraft’s trajectory over long distances.

Following the maneuver, astronauts returned to a rest cycle lasting about four and a half hours, part of a schedule structured to balance workload and recovery during the mission’s early phase.

Trajectory for Artemis II, NASA’s first flight with crew aboard SLS, Orion to pave the way for long-term return to the Moon, missions to Mars

Translunar injection burn timing and mission approval process

Attention now shifts to the next and more consequential maneuver, the translunar injection burn.

Mission management teams are scheduled to meet later in the day to assess spacecraft health, propulsion data, and navigation accuracy. Their approval is required before proceeding.

If cleared, the translunar injection burn is set for 7:49 p.m. Eastern Time. The maneuver will last five minutes and 49 seconds and is expected to increase Orion’s velocity by 1,274 feet per second.

That acceleration would push the spacecraft out of Earth orbit and onto a trajectory toward the Moon. It would mark the first time humans leave low Earth orbit since the Apollo era, which concluded with the final Moon mission in 1972.

Flight controllers will monitor engine performance and guidance systems throughout the burn. Navigation data must remain within tight tolerances to ensure Orion stays aligned with its intended path.

The Artemis II mission is designed as a test flight, but each milestone carries operational weight. With the perigee burn complete, the next decision point will determine whether the crew begins its journey beyond Earth orbit.

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Artemis II Crew and Ground Teams Successfully Troubleshoot Orion’s Toilet Glitch

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NASA confirmed the Artemis II crew resolved a toilet system fault aboard the Orion spacecraft on April 2 while in Earth orbit. The issue, first detected as a blinking fault light on April 1, was addressed through coordinated troubleshooting with mission control in Houston. The fix comes ahead of a scheduled perigee raise burn, a maneuver that will adjust Orion’s orbit for future deep space operations.

A minor but essential system aboard NASA’s Artemis II spacecraft briefly drew attention this week. It was not propulsion or navigation. It was the toilet.

Astronauts aboard Orion, the capsule named Integrity, reported a blinking fault light tied to the waste management system on April 1. Within hours, engineers on the ground and the crew in orbit worked through the problem together. By the next mission update, the system was back to normal operation.

The episode highlights how even routine spacecraft functions demand precision during crewed missions led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Orion spacecraft toilet issue and in-flight troubleshooting

The issue first surfaced ahead of a planned apogee raise burn, when the crew noticed a blinking fault indicator linked to Orion’s toilet system. Such warning signals are designed to flag irregularities early, even when the system continues functioning.

NASA’s mission control team at the Johnson Space Center in Houston began reviewing telemetry immediately. Engineers assessed system data while communicating directly with the astronauts to isolate the cause.

The troubleshooting process involved both software diagnostics and procedural checks inside the spacecraft. The agency did not report any hardware damage or safety risk tied to the issue.

By April 2, NASA confirmed that normal functionality had been restored. The resolution ensured that one of the spacecraft’s life-support subsystems remained fully operational as the mission continued.

Waste management systems in microgravity rely on airflow, pressure control, and precise mechanical components. Even minor anomalies require immediate attention, as they can affect crew comfort and long-duration mission readiness.

A view of the Earth’s horizon from NASA’s Orion spacecraft as it orbits above the planet during the first hours of the Artemis II test flight. NASA astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, launched at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon and back to Earth.
NASA 

Perigee raise burn timing and mission trajectory planning

With the issue resolved, the Artemis II crew is preparing for the next major step in the mission timeline. The perigee raise burn is scheduled after a planned rest period.

Perigee refers to the lowest point of a spacecraft’s orbit around Earth. Raising it changes the orbital shape, making it more stable and better suited for future maneuvers.

This burn follows an earlier apogee raise maneuver, which increased Orion’s highest orbital point. Together, the two burns define the spacecraft’s initial orbit and test its propulsion system under operational conditions.

NASA scheduled a four-hour rest period for the crew before the maneuver. Astronauts are set to wake at 7 a.m. Eastern Time on April 2 to begin preparations. After completing post-burn procedures, they will return to a second sleep cycle later in the morning.

The sequence reflects the structured rhythm of human spaceflight, where operational tasks alternate with carefully timed rest to maintain performance.

The Artemis II mission continues to build toward its broader objective: validating systems for future missions that will carry astronauts beyond Earth orbit and toward the Moon.

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Artemis II Update-1: Orion Completes Proximity Operations, Perigee Burn Next

Artemis II Update-4: Crew completes proximity test, perigee raise burn up next

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NASA’s Artemis II crew completed a proximity operations test on April 2, maneuvering the Orion spacecraft near a detached rocket stage in Earth orbit. The demonstration, lasting about 70 minutes, tested manual control systems and gathered data critical for future lunar missions. The crew now prepares for a perigee raise burn, while engineers continue troubleshooting a minor onboard toilet system issue.

The astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission spent part of April 2 guiding their spacecraft through a tightly choreographed exercise hundreds of miles above Earth.

Inside Orion, the capsule named Integrity, the crew manually steered within close range of a discarded rocket stage, testing how precisely humans can control the spacecraft in space. The task lasted just over an hour. It marked one of the first hands-on demonstrations of Orion’s maneuverability under crew control.

The exercise is part of a broader effort by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to validate systems before sending astronauts farther into deep space, including eventual missions to the Moon under the Artemis program.

The proximity operations demonstration centered on Orion’s ability to approach and move away from another object in orbit. For this test, the crew used the detached interim cryogenic propulsion stage, or ICPS, as a reference target.

The ICPS, a temporary upper stage used during launch, had already separated from the spacecraft. It remained nearby long enough for the astronauts to conduct controlled approach and retreat maneuvers.

During the roughly 70-minute session, the crew adjusted Orion’s position repeatedly, testing navigation, thruster response, and onboard guidance systems. These maneuvers simulate conditions required for future missions that may involve docking or operating near other spacecraft.

At the end of the exercise, Orion executed an automated departure burn, increasing its distance from the ICPS. The stage is scheduled to perform a disposal burn, sending it into Earth’s atmosphere over a remote Pacific region, according to NASA mission updates.

The demonstration provides engineers with real-time data on how Orion performs under manual control, a capability considered essential for complex operations during lunar missions.

Alongside the crewed mission, four small satellites known as CubeSats launched as secondary payloads aboard the Space Launch System (SLS).

CubeSats are compact, shoebox-sized spacecraft designed for targeted scientific experiments. They will deploy after the Orion stage adapter separates from the main spacecraft.

Each satellite carries a distinct research objective:

  • ATENEA, developed by Argentina’s national space agency, focuses on radiation shielding and communication systems in high Earth orbit.
  • Space Weather CubeSat-1, built by the Saudi Space Agency, will measure solar radiation, X-rays, and magnetic field activity.
  • TACHELES, from the German Aerospace Center, is testing electrical systems for future lunar logistics vehicles.
  • K-Rad Cube, developed by the Korea AeroSpace Administration, will study radiation effects across the Van Allen belts, regions of charged particles surrounding Earth.

The CubeSat deployments expand the mission’s scientific output, offering data on space weather and radiation environments that astronauts may encounter during longer missions.

Trajectory for Artemis II, NASA’s first flight with crew aboard SLS, Orion to pave the way for long-term return to the Moon, missions to Mars

Perigee raise burn planned as engineers monitor onboard issue

Attention now shifts to the next key maneuver, the perigee raise burn, scheduled after the crew’s rest period.

Perigee refers to the lowest point in a spacecraft’s orbit around Earth. Raising it adjusts the shape of the orbit and prepares Orion for later phases of the mission, including potential translunar trajectories.

The maneuver follows an earlier apogee raise burn, which increased the spacecraft’s highest orbital point. Together, these burns define Orion’s initial orbital path and test propulsion performance under operational conditions.

Before the next burn, the crew completed routine spacecraft checks. During a systems review, they reported a blinking fault light in the onboard toilet system.

NASA ground teams are analyzing the data and working with the crew to diagnose the issue. No broader system impacts have been reported in official updates.

After a scheduled four-hour rest period, the astronauts are set to wake at 7 a.m. Eastern Time on April 2 to prepare for the maneuver. The timeline includes post-burn activities followed by another sleep cycle later in the morning.

The sequence of tests, adjustments, and troubleshooting reflects the mission’s dual purpose: demonstrating Orion’s readiness for deep space while gathering operational data from a live crewed environment.

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Saturn’s magnetic bubble is lopsided compared to Earth’s

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A new study published on April 2026 finds that Saturn has an asymmetrical magnetic field unlike Earth, based on six years of data from the Cassini–Huygens mission. Researchers led by institutions including University College London found that Saturn’s magnetic cusp shifts due to its rapid rotation and plasma from its moon Enceladus. The findings offer new insight into how magnetospheres behave on fast-spinning gas giants and could shape future missions to Saturn.

A region of space where charged particles slip into a planet’s atmosphere has revealed a key difference between Earth and Saturn.

Researchers studying Saturn’s magnetic field found that its protective bubble, known as the magnetosphere, is not evenly shaped. Instead, it appears skewed to one side, a departure from the more symmetrical magnetic structure observed around Earth.

The findings come from a study published in Nature Communications, based on data gathered by the Cassini spacecraft over six years between 2004 and 2010.

Cassini Data Maps Saturn’s Shifted Magnetic Entry Point

The study focused on Saturn’s “cusp,” the region where magnetic field lines bend and allow solar wind particles to funnel into the planet’s atmosphere.

Using measurements from Cassini’s Magnetometer and Plasma Spectrometer instruments, researchers identified 67 instances where the spacecraft passed through this cusp region.

On Earth, the cusp typically aligns around noon when viewed relative to the Sun. On Saturn, the team found it most frequently appeared between 13:00 and 15:00, indicating a consistent shift to one side.

This displacement suggests that Saturn’s magnetosphere is being pulled in a particular direction rather than remaining evenly balanced.

Fast Rotation And Plasma Drive The Asymmetry

Scientists attribute this asymmetry to two main factors: Saturn’s rapid rotation and the dense plasma environment surrounding the planet.

A day on Saturn lasts about 10.7 hours, significantly faster than Earth’s 24-hour cycle. This rapid spin generates strong rotational forces that influence the planet’s magnetic field.

At the same time, Saturn is surrounded by a cloud of ionised gas, or plasma, much of which originates from its moon Enceladus. The moon releases water vapor through icy plumes, which becomes ionised and contributes to the magnetospheric environment.

Together, the fast rotation and heavy plasma appear to drag the magnetic field lines in one direction, creating the observed lopsided structure. Researchers noted that further simulations are required to confirm this mechanism.

Professor Andrew Coates of University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory said the cusp plays a central role in understanding the system.

“The cusp is the place where the solar wind can slip directly into the magnetosphere. Knowing the location of Saturn’s cusp can help us better understand and map the whole magnetic bubble,” he said.

Implications For Future Missions And Search For Life

The findings come at a time when scientific interest in Saturn and its moons is growing, particularly due to Enceladus.

The icy moon contains a subsurface ocean and emits plumes that have drawn attention as a potential environment for microbial life. It is also a proposed destination for a future mission by the European Space Agency planned for the 2040s.

“A better understanding of Saturn’s environment is especially urgent now as plans for our return to Saturn and its moon Enceladus start to be developed,” Coates said.

“This time we will look for evidence of habitability and for potential signs of life.”

The study also supports a broader theory about how magnetospheres behave on large, fast-spinning planets.

Professor Zhonghua Yao of the University of Hong Kong said differences between Earth and Saturn point to a shared underlying process governing interactions with solar wind across planets.

Lead author Yan Xu of the Southern University of Science and Technology added that combining spacecraft data with simulations helped reveal how rotation and plasma shape the global magnetic structure.

A Broader Pattern Across Gas Giants

The research suggests that Saturn’s magnetosphere may resemble that of Jupiter more closely than Earth’s, despite all three planets being exposed to the same solar wind.

This indicates that internal planetary dynamics, such as rotation speed and plasma sources, can outweigh solar wind in shaping magnetic environments on gas giants.

The results provide a framework for studying other planetary systems, including exoplanets, where similar forces may be at play.

As researchers continue to analyze Cassini’s legacy data, Saturn’s magnetic field is offering a deeper view into how planetary systems function beyond Earth.

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India Maps Rare Earth Reserves, Pushes Magnet Manufacturing With ₹7,280 Cr Plan

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India has identified over 8.5 million tonnes of rare earth oxide resources across coastal and inland regions, the government said on April 2, 2026, in Parliament. While the country holds domestic reserves, it remains dependent on imports for rare earth magnets due to processing and industrial gaps. A ₹7,280 crore incentive scheme aims to build local magnet manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.

A mineral buried in coastal sands and inland deposits has quietly become central to India’s industrial ambitions. Rare earth elements, essential for everything from electric vehicles to defence systems, are now at the center of a policy push to turn geological potential into manufacturing strength.

The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a unit under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has identified significant rare earth reserves across the country, according to a statement presented in the Rajya Sabha on April 2, 2026.

India holds approximately 7.23 million tonnes of in-situ total rare earth oxide equivalent embedded in 13.15 million tonnes of monazite, a mineral rich in thorium and rare earths. These deposits are spread across coastal “teri” sands, beach sands, and inland alluvial regions in states including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal, among others.

In addition, about 1.29 million tonnes of rare earth oxide resources have been identified in hard rock terrains in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Why India Still Imports Rare Earth Magnets

Despite these reserves, the government acknowledged a critical gap. India is not dependent on other countries for rare earth minerals themselves, but it continues to rely on imports for rare earth magnets and related high-value products.

The reasons are structural and technical.

The ore grade of Indian deposits is relatively low, ranging between 0.056% and 0.058%, which makes extraction economically challenging. The presence of radioactive elements further complicates processing, requiring stricter handling protocols and increasing costs.

Environmental and regulatory constraints also limit mining. Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules, mangrove protections, forest cover, and habitation patterns have restricted large-scale extraction, effectively capping production volumes.

Equally significant is the absence of a strong midstream industry. India has limited capacity to convert refined rare earth oxides into metals, alloys, and finished magnets. This lack of downstream demand has historically dampened incentives to scale up extraction.

₹7,280 Crore Scheme Targets Full Supply Chain

To address these gaps, the Union Cabinet approved a scheme in November 2025 to promote the domestic manufacturing of sintered rare earth permanent magnets. The policy was formally notified in December 2025.

The scheme aims to establish 6,000 metric tonnes per annum of rare earth permanent magnet production capacity in India.

The total financial outlay stands at ₹7,280 crore. This includes ₹6,450 crore in sales-linked incentives over five years and ₹730 crore as capital subsidy to support the creation of manufacturing facilities.

Rare earth permanent magnets are among the strongest magnets available and are critical components in electric mobility, renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, advanced electronics, aerospace applications, and defence technologies.

The government’s objective is to build an end-to-end ecosystem. This includes processing rare earth oxides, producing metals and alloys, and manufacturing finished magnets within the country.

Strategic Push Includes Corridors and Pilot Plants

Alongside the incentive scheme, the government has initiated supporting infrastructure and pilot manufacturing efforts.

The Department of Atomic Energy has established a rare earth permanent magnet plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The facility produces about three tonnes of Samarium Cobalt magnets annually, a category of high-performance magnets used in strategic sectors such as defence and atomic energy.

The Union Budget for 2026–27 has also proposed dedicated Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. These corridors are expected to cluster mining, processing, and manufacturing activities to improve efficiency and attract investment.

The policy direction signals a shift from resource identification to industrial scaling.

Global Context and Domestic Stakes

Rare earth magnets sit at the heart of global supply chains for clean energy and advanced manufacturing. Countries with control over processing and magnet production hold significant leverage in sectors such as electric vehicles and defence systems.

India’s approach, as outlined in Parliament, reflects an attempt to bridge the gap between resource availability and industrial capability.

The statement was delivered by Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences and Science and Technology, in the Rajya Sabha.

As the government moves to operationalize incentives and infrastructure, the focus now shifts to execution, industry participation, and the pace at which domestic manufacturing capacity can be built.

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Artemis II Update-3: Apogee Raise burn complete, Crew prepares critical Proximity Test

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NASA confirmed the Artemis II crew completed the apogee raise burn on April 2, increasing Orion’s orbital high point. The mission now transitions toward a proximity operations demonstration that will test manual spacecraft control near another object. Engineers continue to monitor a minor onboard system issue as the crew prepares for the next phase.

 

Artemis II Update-1: Orion Completes Proximity Operations, Perigee Burn Next

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Astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission completed a key proximity operations test on April 2 while orbiting Earth. The maneuver involved controlled movements around a detached rocket stage to evaluate spacecraft handling. With CubeSat deployments ahead and a minor onboard system issue under review, the crew is now preparing for a perigee raise burn to refine Orion’s orbit.