Artemis II Completes Lunar Trajectory Burn, Crew En Route to the Moon
NASA’s Orion spacecraft successfully completed a critical engine burn on Thursday, April 2, 2026, propelling the Artemis II crew toward the Moon. This maneuver, known as the translunar injection (TLI) burn, lasted five minutes and 50 seconds and began at 7:49 p.m. EDT, according to NASA.
The Artemis II mission represents a significant step in the renewed space race, aiming to establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon. The crew – consisting of Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover – are currently en route, with the mission slated as a 10-day test flight that will not include a lunar landing, as reported by The Guardian.
During the TLI burn, Orion’s main engine generated up to 6,000 pounds of thrust, accelerating the spacecraft at a rate comparable to a car going from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 2.7 seconds. At the time of the burn, the spacecraft weighed 58,000 pounds and consumed around 1,000 pounds of fuel.
The crew is also utilizing a flywheel exercise device to maintain physical fitness during the journey. NASA teams on the ground are monitoring the spacecraft’s air revitalization system and assessing the impact of exercise on the spacecraft’s movement. The flywheel, which operates similarly to a yo-yo, provides resistance up to 400 pounds, offering a crucial exercise solution in the absence of the extensive equipment available on the International Space Station.
This mission marks the first time a woman and a person of color will travel to cislunar space, the region between Earth’s orbit and the Moon, as noted in reports.
Those interested in following the mission’s progress can track Orion’s location in real-time 3D using Artemis Tracker, which also provides crew bios, a mission timeline, and spacecraft specifications.
The launch of Artemis II signifies a new era of lunar exploration, building on the successes of the initial Artemis I mission and paving the way for future, more ambitious lunar endeavors.
