So Day 2 was the true point of no return: from orbiting Earth to traveling toward the Moon. The adventure was beginning in earnest!
A mission start that combined the epic with the very human—because even in deep space, plumbing problems still need solving.
The most human detail of the mission:
In the early hours, the crew reported a blinking fault light in Orion’s toilet system. Working with Mission Control in Houston, they successfully resolved the issue before proceeding. Space exploration has its everyday realities!
The Orbital Adjustment Burns:
Before heading toward the Moon, Orion needed to shape its Earth orbit with two maneuvers:
Apogee Burn (Day 1): Raised the highest point of the orbit.
Perigee Burn (Day 2, 7:06 a.m.): A 43-second ignition to raise the lowest point. The crew was awakened by "Sleepyhead" by Young and Sick—a humorous nod from the ground team.
Together, these two burns placed Orion into a stable Earth orbit, ready for Trans-Lunar Injection.
The Big Moment — The TLI Burn:
Following a unanimous "Go" vote from the mission management team, at 7:49 p.m. EDT, Orion’s main engine fired for 5 minutes and 50 seconds, burning ~1,000 pounds of fuel and accelerating the spacecraft with up to 6,700 pounds of thrust. Result: The crew departed Earth orbit bound for the Moon—the first humans to do so since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The onboard exercise device—a flywheel weighing just 30 pounds (the size of a carry-on suitcase)—allows for rowing, squats, and deadlifts with loads of up to 400 pounds. A stark contrast to the International Space Station’s more than 4,000 pounds of exercise equipment, yet perfectly adapted to the mass constraints of deep space.
The Science Team Is Already at Work:
Following TLI, the lunar science team immediately began formulating the Lunar Objectives Plan for the April 6 flyby—craters, ancient lava flows, tectonic rifts, and the nearly hour-long solar eclipse that we now know was so spectacular.
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