A crescent Earth as seen from the Artemis II Orion Integrity spacecraft, now over 46,000 km away.

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

Wake-up music at Artemis II Integrity earlier today - "Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club."

"I know you wanted me to stay
But I can’t ignore the crazy visions of me in LA
And I heard that there’s a special place
Where boys and girls can all be queens every single day

I’m having wicked dreams
Of leaving Tennessee
Oh, Santa Monica
I swear it’s calling me

Won’t make my mama proud
It’s gonna cause a scene
She sees her baby girl
I know she’s gonna scream
..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR3Liudev18
46/n

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

Visualization of what Artemis II astronauts will see during the lunar flyby as Integrity approaches the Moon and flies around its far side.

The flyby will last from 2:45 – 9:40 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Highlights in the 420x time-compressed video:
00:35: Earth sets behind the lunar llimb
00:35 - 00:40: Earth is eclipsed by the moon for about an hour
00:40: Earth-rise on the other side of the moon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMr86Yrvzlo
Also at https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/04/artemis-ii-flight-day-4-deep-space-flying-lunar-flyby-prep/
NASA/Ernie Wright
47/n

[rich@mastodon.gamedev.place]

@AkaSci not sure why they decided to change it to the Death Star at the end...

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

Artemis II astronauts woke up on Easter Sunday to the catchy tune of "Working Class Heroes (Work)” by CeeLo Green."

"Get up, get out, go get that money
It's time to work, eh alright
Work, eh alright

Early in the morning
I'm ready and I go
It's feel like struggle
We can open up the doubts
Everybody cans crack
I got hustle in my blood
A little bit is not enough"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fKPn0t7j6Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a1Nz-iojfY
48/n

[timfinnerty@toot.io]

@AkaSci So it's not a cover of the #JohnLennon song?

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

Pic of a shrinking Earth, taken earlier today from Artemis II, as the spacecraft approaches the moon.

Camera: NIKON D5 (DSLR, 20.8 MP)
Lens: 14-24mm f/2.8
FocalLength: 24 mm
ISO 400
ExposureTime: 1/1250 s
CreateDate: 2026:04:05 06:35:18 UTC
Distance from Earth: 318,900 km

Still another 24 hours for lunar flyby, as Orion slows down in its orbital path, now traveling at 2,436 km/h.

https://images.nasa.gov/details/art002e009186
49/n

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

OK, you figure out which torsos, hands and legs belong to which astronaut in this scene aboard Artemis II Orion, as the astronauts "conduct a full sequence of suit operations, including putting on and pressurizing their suits, performing leak checks, simulating seat entry, and assessing mobility and their ability to eat and drink."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3kR2KK8TEs
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/05/artemis-ii-flight-day-5-crew-starts-day-with-suit-demo/
50/n

[zenheathen@beige.party]

@AkaSci I know that Victor is closest to us, because in minutes before and after this, he's crossing his ankles. I know that's Jeremy under the seats, because it's not Christina. Earlier, I saw Christina's hair floating before the helmets went on, so I know she's furthest from us, barely in this pic. So that's Reid in the seat beyond Victor. I'm getting to know them pretty well by this point.

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

The Moon imaged from inside the Artemis II Orion spacecraft earlier today.

The image was taken a little over an hour after Integrity entered the lunar sphere of influence at 04:37 UTC, which will shape its orbit and turn it around.

Camera: NIKON D5
Lens: 35mm f/2.0
FocalLength: 35mm
ISO 400
ExposureTime: 1/250 s
CreateDate: 2026:04:06 05:45:17 UTC
Distance to Moon: 60,630 km
From Earth: 376,700 km

https://images.nasa.gov/details/art002e009210
52/n

[akasci@fosstodon.org]

The Artemis II Orion spacecraft is currently 396,390.6 km from Earth, crossing the orbit of the Moon. It will go past it as the Moon slides under it, reach apogee at 22:07 UTC while observing the far side of the Moon and then head back to Earth. Closest approach to Moon = 6,550 km at 22:02 UTC.

Webcast begins at 17:00 UTC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-j1uxBmis0

Continuous coverage at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3kR2KK8TEs

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-flight-day-6-crew-ready-for-lunar-flyby/
53/n