Artemis II Update-11, Day 4: Crew Enters Deep Space, Lunar Flyby Prep

Posted on April 6, 2026 by Arun Kumar N

As the Orion spacecraft continues its path toward the Moon, the Artemis II crew will spend their fourth flight day preparing for their lunar flyby on Monday, April 6. Traveling more than 169,000 miles from Earth aboard the Orion spacecraft, astronauts are set to manually pilot the vehicle and study the Moon from a distant vantage point. The mission will also include a planned communications blackout and record-breaking distance milestone as Orion moves deeper into space.

Inside the Orion capsule, the day began with music and routine. The four astronauts, already days into deep space travel, woke to Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” before shifting into a tightly scheduled slate of mission tasks.

By the time they started work, the spacecraft had already crossed roughly 169,000 miles from Earth and was closing in on the Moon, which lay about 110,700 miles ahead. The numbers mark a point where Earth is no longer the dominant visual reference, and operational focus shifts toward lunar proximity.

Manual control test of Orion in deep space

Later in the day, pilot Victor Glover is scheduled to take manual control of Orion, a rare exercise designed to evaluate how the spacecraft responds to human input far beyond Earth orbit.

NASA officials have framed the test as critical for future missions, where astronauts may need to intervene directly in spacecraft navigation. The maneuver will provide engineers with data on handling characteristics, including responsiveness and stability under manual control.

The crew is also running a 24-hour acoustics test inside the cabin. Engineers are using the data to map the spacecraft’s sound environment, which affects both crew comfort and communication clarity during extended missions.

These activities reflect a broader goal of Artemis II. Beyond reaching the Moon, the mission is designed to validate systems that astronauts will rely on during longer journeys, including eventual missions to Mars.

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/jsc2025m000169-artemis-ii-mission-map-720.mp4?_=1

(This artist’s concept depicts the nominal trajectory for NASA’s Artemis II test flight, an approximately 10-day mission that will send four astronauts around the Moon and back. The agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Orion will fly two orbits of Earth and then venture around the Moon in a figure-eight pattern before returning to Earth.NASA/JSC/Goddard)

Lunar flyby observations and scientific targets

Preparation for the lunar flyby dominates the schedule. The six-hour observation window begins at approximately 2:45 p.m., when Orion’s main windows will face the Moon, allowing astronauts to begin detailed visual and photographic analysis.

Unlike the Apollo missions, which passed about 70 miles above the lunar surface, Orion will remain roughly 4,066 miles away at its closest point. From that distance, the crew will see the Moon as a full disk, including polar regions rarely observed in a single view.

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will work through a checklist of surface features identified by NASA’s science team.

They are expected to document impact craters, ancient lava plains, and fractures in the Moon’s crust. Variations in brightness and color will also be recorded, offering clues about the composition and geological history of the lunar surface.

The flyby will also create a rare viewing condition. As Orion, the Moon, and the Sun align, astronauts will witness a solar eclipse from space lasting about an hour. During that period, they will study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, as it becomes visible around the Moon’s edge.

NASA has also tasked the crew with watching for flashes of light caused by meteoroid impacts on the lunar surface. These observations could help scientists better understand surface hazards for future missions.

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/lunarflyby-1min-2160p30small.mp4?_=2

(This visualization follows the trajectory of the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II flyby of the Moon, showing what astronauts will see out the window as they approach the Moon and fly around its far side. The flyby will last from 2:45 – 9:40 PM EDT on April 6, 2026, and marks the window of time that the Artemis II crew will be close enough to the Moon to make scientific observations and Orion’s windows will be pointed toward the Moon. The angle of the Sun’s illumination of the Moon will change throughout the period based on the shifting positions of the Sun, Moon, and spacecraft — revealing both familiar nearside terrain and portions of the far side not visible from Earth. This visualization, compressed from seven hours to one minute, includes Earthrise and Earthset, and a solar eclipse, which will be visible to the crew at the end of the flyby window, when the Sun will glide behind the Moon for nearly an hour from the perspective of Orion.NASA/Ernie Wright)

Communications blackout and record distance milestone

A planned communications blackout is expected when Orion passes behind the Moon. The interruption will begin around 5:47 p.m. and last approximately 40 minutes, as the Moon blocks signals between the spacecraft and NASA’s Deep Space Network.

Such blackouts are standard in lunar missions and were also experienced during earlier programs. Once Orion emerges from behind the Moon, ground stations are expected to quickly reestablish contact.

During this phase, Artemis II is also set to surpass a long-standing distance record. Orion will travel about 252,757 miles from Earth at its farthest point, exceeding the distance reached by the Apollo 13 crew.

The milestone reflects both trajectory design and the mission’s broader objective of pushing human spaceflight deeper into space than previous crewed missions.

(Orion snapped this high-resolution selfie in space with a camera mounted on one of its solar array wings during a routine external inspection of the spacecraft on the second day into the Artemis II mission. The image was downlinked by the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System.NASA)

Life sciences research and onboard system challenges

Beyond navigation and observation, Artemis II is carrying a suite of experiments aimed at understanding how humans and biological systems respond to deep space.

One payload, known as AVATAR, includes bone marrow cells derived from crew blood samples to study immune system behavior in space. The astronauts are also collecting saliva samples as part of ongoing biomedical research.

Radiation exposure remains a key concern. Sensors provided by the German Aerospace Center, along with NASA instruments, are measuring radiation levels throughout the spacecraft.

Crew members are also wearing actigraphy devices that track sleep patterns, movement, and overall health. These data sets will inform planning for longer missions, where maintaining crew performance becomes increasingly complex.

Not all systems have operated without issue. Engineers are working to clear a wastewater vent line after a partial blockage. The crew has been instructed to use backup collection methods if necessary, although the main system remains functional.

Mission controllers at the NASA Johnson Space Center have again canceled a planned trajectory correction burn, confirming that Orion remains on its intended path. Instead, the spacecraft will be oriented toward the Sun to help resolve the vent issue.

Expanding communications capabilities in deep space

In parallel with crew operations, Orion’s optical communications system has surpassed 100 gigabytes of data transmitted back to Earth.

The system uses laser-based transmission, allowing higher data rates than traditional radio signals. NASA officials see the technology as essential for future missions that will require rapid transmission of high-resolution imagery and scientific data.

As Artemis II approaches its lunar flyby, the mission has shifted into a phase where precision operations, scientific observation, and human endurance intersect. The spacecraft continues on a trajectory that requires no correction, while inside, astronauts prepare to document the Moon from a distance no crew has experienced in decades.

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Artemis II Update-10, Day 3: Crew Prepares Orion Cabin As Lunar Flyby Nears Milestone

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

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Sridhar P

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.

The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission prepared for a maneuver that never came.

From inside the Orion spacecraft, now deep into its journey toward the Moon, the crew had readied for the first outbound trajectory correction burn, a routine adjustment designed to fine-tune their path. Instead, flight controllers on Earth made a different call.

Engineers at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston confirmed the spacecraft was already exactly where it needed to be. The burn was called off.

Artemis II trajectory correction burn canceled due to precise navigation

The canceled maneuver was the first of three planned trajectory correction burns in the Artemis II mission timeline. These burns are typically used to adjust a spacecraft’s velocity and direction after major propulsion events, ensuring it remains aligned for critical milestones like a lunar flyby.

In this case, Orion required no such adjustment.

Mission control teams determined that the spacecraft’s current trajectory remains within precise mission parameters as it continues toward its scheduled flyby of the Moon on April 6. The decision reflects the accuracy of the earlier translunar injection burn, which set Orion on its current path after departing Earth orbit.

For the crew, the change meant shifting from execution to observation. Systems remained monitored, procedures stayed in place, but the engines stayed silent.

NASA

What skipping a correction burn means for the Orion spacecraft

Canceling a planned burn is not unusual in deep-space missions. It signals that navigation targets have been met with high precision, reducing the need for course corrections.

Orion still has two additional trajectory correction opportunities built into the mission plan. Any required adjustments later in the journey can be incorporated into those future burns, giving flight controllers flexibility as the spacecraft approaches and departs the Moon.

The Artemis II mission continues to follow a carefully choreographed sequence of events, where each maneuver is backed by contingency planning. Skipping one step does not remove redundancy. It confirms it.

Inside the capsule, the crew continues routine operations as they move farther from Earth, maintaining spacecraft systems and preparing for the upcoming lunar flyby. The mission marks humanity’s first crewed journey beyond low Earth orbit since NASA’s Apollo era, a milestone that carries both technical and symbolic weight.

For now, Orion’s path requires no correction. The spacecraft remains on course, its trajectory holding steady as it closes the distance to the Moon.

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

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Sridhar P

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.

The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission woke to music drifting through the Orion capsule, nearly 100,000 miles from Earth. Hours earlier, they had been asleep inside a spacecraft racing toward the Moon, farther from home than any crew in more than half a century.

Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen are now settling into the cadence of deep-space flight. Their journey marks the first time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit since NASA’s Apollo program ended in 1972.

Mission controllers at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston signaled the start of the day at 1 p.m. EDT, playing “…In a Daydream,” by the Freddy Jones Band. By then, Orion was roughly 99,900 miles from Earth, closing in on the Moon, which lay about 161,750 miles ahead.

A view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft’s four main windows after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2, 2026.
NASA

Trajectory correction burn Artemis II timing and purpose

The crew’s primary task later Friday is preparing for the first outbound trajectory correction burn, scheduled for 6:49 p.m. The maneuver will last about eight seconds and slightly adjust Orion’s speed by 0.7 feet per second.

That small change carries weight in deep space navigation. Engineers design these burns to fine-tune the spacecraft’s path after major propulsion events, such as the translunar injection burn completed on April 2. Using Orion’s onboard thrusters, the adjustment ensures the capsule remains precisely aligned for upcoming lunar operations.

Inside the spacecraft, the preparation involves verifying propulsion systems, monitoring navigation data, and coordinating closely with mission control. Even minor deviations can compound over hundreds of thousands of miles, making these early corrections essential.

The Artemis II crew is experiencing this process in real time, managing both the technical and human demands of deep-space travel. It is the kind of operational rhythm that defined earlier lunar missions but has not been practiced by a human crew in decades.

Lunar flyby science targets and far side observations

While engineers refine Orion’s trajectory, scientists are focusing on what the crew will see once they reach the Moon.

Teams on the ground are selecting geological targets that will be visible during a six-hour observation window on April 6, when Orion loops around the lunar surface. The alignment of the Sun, Moon, and spacecraft is expected to illuminate about 20 percent of the Moon’s far side, a region never visible from Earth.

Among the features expected to come into view are the Orientale basin, a massive impact structure, along with Pierazzo crater and Ohm crater. Some of these formations have rarely been seen directly by human eyes without optical aid.

Inside Orion, the astronauts are rehearsing for that moment. The cabin, roughly the size of two minivans, requires careful choreography in microgravity. Equipment must be secured, camera positions planned, and movement coordinated to avoid disrupting observations.

The crew will use handheld cameras equipped with 80-400 millimeter and 14-24 millimeter lenses. These tools are expected to capture high-resolution imagery of the lunar surface, contributing to scientific analysis and public engagement with the mission.

A view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft’s window after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2, 2026. The image features two auroras (top right and bottom left) and zodiacal light (bottom right) is visible as the Earth eclipses the Sun.

Orion spacecraft health tests and deep space communications

Beyond navigation and science, Flight Day 3 also includes routine but critical health and safety exercises.

The astronauts are scheduled to conduct demonstrations of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and choking response procedures. These drills aim to evaluate how emergency medical protocols function in microgravity, where movement and physical coordination differ significantly from Earth.

Physical fitness remains another priority. Each crew member continues daily exercise using Orion’s flywheel device, designed to maintain cardiovascular health during extended missions.

Later in the day, Christina Koch will test Orion’s emergency communication systems using NASA Deep Space Network, a worldwide array of antennas that supports spacecraft far beyond Earth orbit. The test will assess how effectively Orion can transmit data as it moves deeper into space.

The spacecraft’s optical communications system has already demonstrated its ability to send high-definition video and mission data back to Earth through U.S.-based ground stations. That information is relayed directly to mission control in Houston, allowing engineers to monitor the spacecraft’s performance in near real time.

As Artemis II advances toward its lunar flyby, the crew’s day-to-day work blends precision engineering with human adaptability. Each scheduled task, from an eight-second burn to a medical drill, contributes to a mission that is reestablishing a path last traveled more than five decades ago.

For the astronauts aboard Orion, the distance from Earth continues to grow. So does the scope of what lies ahead.

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

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

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Sridhar P

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

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Sridhar P

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

Posted on April 3, 2026 by Sridhar P

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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NASA to stream launch and docking of ‘Progress 94 cargo spacecraft’ to ISS

Posted on March 21, 2026 by Naresh Kumar

NASA is set to broadcast the launch and arrival of a Russian cargo spacecraft carrying essential supplies to astronauts aboard the International Space Station, as part of routine resupply operations that keep the orbital lab running.

The uncrewed Progress 94 spacecraft, operated by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, is scheduled to lift off on Sunday, March 22, at 7:59 a.m. EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The mission will ride aboard a Soyuz rocket and is loaded with nearly three tonnes of food, fuel, and other critical materials for the station’s crew.

NASA will begin live coverage of the launch at 7:30 a.m. EDT. The broadcast will be available on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s official YouTube channel, alongside other digital platforms.

Following a two-day journey in orbit, the spacecraft is expected to dock automatically with the space-facing port of the Poisk module at around 9:34 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 24. Live coverage of the rendezvous and docking is scheduled to start at 8:45 a.m.

Once attached, Progress 94 will remain at the station for roughly six months. During that time, it will serve both as a supply vessel and a storage unit for waste. At the end of its mission, it will detach and burn up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, safely disposing of onboard trash.

The mission follows the departure of Progress 92, which undocked from the station on March 16 and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean without incident.

The International Space Station has been continuously inhabited for over 25 years, serving as a hub for scientific research in microgravity. The platform continues to support studies that cannot be conducted on Earth, while also helping space agencies prepare for longer missions beyond low Earth orbit, including NASA’s Artemis programme aimed at returning humans to the Moon, and eventual crewed missions to Mars.

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NASA to Brief Media on X-59 Supersonic Aircraft Flight Tests After 2nd California Mission

Posted on March 21, 2026 by Naresh Kumar

NASA is scheduled to host a media teleconference Friday at 6 p.m. EDT to outline the next phase of flight testing for its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, with the briefing set to follow the plane’s second test flight over California the same day.

The call will include NASA leadership, representatives from the agency’s Quesst mission, and officials from primary contractor Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The X-59’s test pilots are also expected to participate, addressing questions about flight conditions and pre-flight preparation protocols.

The Quesst mission, short for Quiet SuperSonic Technology, is designed to gather data on how communities on the ground perceive sonic disturbances from supersonic flight, with the goal of informing potential regulatory changes to current restrictions on overland supersonic commercial travel in the United States. The X-59 is engineered to reduce the sonic boom typically associated with supersonic aircraft to what NASA describes as a quieter “sonic thump.”

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the advanced development division behind the aircraft’s construction, has been working alongside NASA on the program since the agency awarded the contract in 2018. The X-59 completed its first flight in March 2024 at Lockheed’s facility in Palmdale, California.

Full teleconference details and dial-in credentials are expected to be made available through NASA’s media channels ahead of the Friday briefing, which will be streamed on NASA’s YouTube channel. An instant replay will be available online.

Participants include:

Bob Pearce, associate administrator, NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, Washington
Cathy Bahm, project manager, Low Boom Flight Demonstrator, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, California
Peter Coen, Quesst mission integration manager, NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
Jim “Clue” Less, X-59 test pilot, NASA Armstrong
Pat LeBeau, Lockheed Martin X-59 project manager

To participate in the virtual call, members of the media must RSVP no later than two hours before the start of the event to: kristen.m.hatfield@nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.

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NASA’s Webb Cameras Explore Largest Star-Forming Cloud in Milky Way

Posted on November 3, 2025 by Srinivas Chakravarty

The difference longer wavelengths of light make, even within the infrared spectrum, are stark when comparing the images from Webb’s MIRI and NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instruments. Glowing gas and dust appear dramatically in mid-infrared light, while all but the brightest stars disappear from view.

In contrast to MIRI, colorful stars steal the show in Webb’s NIRCam image, punctuated occasionally by bright clouds of gas and dust. Further research into these stars will reveal details of their masses and ages, which will help astronomers better understand the process of star formation in this dense, active galactic center region. Has it been going on for millions of years? Or has some unknown process triggered it only recently?

Astronomers hope Webb will shed light on why star formation in the galactic center is so disproportionately low. Though the region is stocked with plenty of gaseous raw material, on the whole it is not nearly as productive as Sagittarius B2. While Sagittarius B2 has only 10 percent of the galactic center’s gas, it produces 50 percent of its stars.

“Humans have been studying the stars for thousands of years, and there is still a lot to understand,” said Nazar Budaiev, a graduate student at the University of Florida and the co-principal investigator of the study. “For everything new Webb is showing us, there are also new mysteries to explore, and it’s exciting to be a part of that ongoing discovery.”

More about Webb and MIRI

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).

Webb’s MIRI was developed through a 50-50 partnership between NASA and ESA. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL led the U.S. contribution to MIRI. JPL also led development of MIRI’s cryocooler, done in collaboration with Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

India International Times

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Tag Archives: NASA News

Artemis II Update-11, Day 4: Crew Enters Deep Space, Lunar Flyby Prep

Manual control test of Orion in deep space

Lunar flyby observations and scientific targets

Communications blackout and record distance milestone

Life sciences research and onboard system challenges

Expanding communications capabilities in deep space

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

Artemis II trajectory correction burn canceled due to precise navigation

What skipping a correction burn means for the Orion spacecraft

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

Trajectory correction burn Artemis II timing and purpose

Lunar flyby science targets and far side observations

Orion spacecraft health tests and deep space communications

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

Translunar injection burn performance and Orion trajectory

Crew operations, exercise systems, and onboard experiments

Communications glitch resolved and lunar science plan begins

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

Translunar injection burn timing and Orion engine performance

Crew activities and first full day operations in space

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

Perigee raise burn details and Orion orbit adjustment

Translunar injection burn timing and mission approval process

NASA to stream launch and docking of ‘Progress 94 cargo spacecraft’ to ISS

NASA to Brief Media on X-59 Supersonic Aircraft Flight Tests After 2nd California Mission

NASA’s Webb Cameras Explore Largest Star-Forming Cloud in Milky Way

More about Webb and MIRI