I’m in my space nerd era. 👩🏼‍🚀

Tomorrow, Monday April 6th is a HUGE day for the Artemis 2 lunar fly-by mission.

- The spacecraft will swing around the far side of the moon and head back to Earth. They are not entering Lunar orbit nor are they landing (those are future mission objectives).

- During the flyby, the spacecraft will get further from Earth than humans have ever travelled before, surpassing Apollo records at 1:56 pm.

- They WILL lose comms with Earth. This is planned and expected (NOT an emergency). The whole moon is going to come in between earth and the spacecraft, so from 6:44-7:25 pm radio signals won’t be able to get through.

- As they come back around, they’ll have the chance for viewing a solar eclipse (8:35-9:32 the Sun will pass behind the moon).

- The astronauts will be conducting scientific observations during the 7 hours of fly by, such as observations during the solar eclipse, characterizing the lunar surface, and taking tons of pictures for use in future moon missions.

- You can follow along with all of this excitement because NASA will be broadcasting live, free on YouTube, just like they have been this entire mission!

I can’t wait to see the livestream and all of the images and videos from this lunar flyby!!

#nasa #artemis #artemisii @nasa @nasaartemis

4/6 Edited to

Following the Artemis 2 mission’s spectacular lunar flyby, I found myself completely captivated by the scale and ambition of humanity's next leap into space exploration. Unlike previous lunar missions, Artemis 2 isn’t focusing on landing or orbiting the Moon, but instead pushing the boundaries by traveling further from Earth than any humans have before—breaking Apollo 13’s 1970 record. One of the most intriguing elements of this mission is the planned communication blackout as the spacecraft passes behind the Moon. This isn’t a failure but a perfectly normal part of the journey, showing how space communication relies on direct line-of-sight signals. It’s a reminder of the challenges astronauts face beyond our planet. Moreover, the opportunity to witness a solar eclipse from space during the flyby is simply breathtaking. The astronauts’ scientific work during the seven-hour mission, including detailed lunar surface observations and capturing photographs, adds an incredible layer of value, laying groundwork for future moon landings. For those of us who love space, keeping up with NASA’s live YouTube broadcasts has become a personal ritual. It’s amazing to see the real-time events unfold and to appreciate the dedication behind such missions. If you’re interested in following future lunar exploration plans or just fascinated by the cosmos, diving into Artemis 2’s milestones is definitely worthwhile. Missions like this inspire us to look up at the night sky with renewed wonder, appreciating the technological prowess and human courage involved in reaching farther than ever before.