Astronauts aboard Orion are conducting proximity operations and manual piloting as part of critical mission tests during Artemis II. Astronauts aboard Orion have begun a 10-day mission around the Moon
NASA's Orion spacecraft during "proximity operations" after separating from the rocket's upper stage. (Pic/PTI)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Wednesday announced the successful separation of the Orion spacecraft from the upper stage of the rocket as part of the Artemis II mission and stated that the "proximity operations" test is currently underway.
Separation of the Orion took place after the Artemis crew had officially embarked on a "historic 10-day mission around the Moon", a journey that may see them travel "further from Earth than anyone has ever been before.
The Orion spacecraft successfully separated from the upper stage of the rocket, and the "proximity operations" test is underway. The Artemis II astronauts are manually piloting Orion similarly to how they would if they were docking with another spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/RWW4RSyaoq
— NASA (@NASA) April 2, 2026
Announcing about the mission on social media platform X, NASA stated that astronauts aboard Orion are manually piloting the spacecraft in a manner similar to what would be required during docking with another spacecraft, marking a key milestone in the mission.
This development came hours after the successful launch of NASA's Artemis II mission, sending astronauts on a historic journey around the Moon for the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years, since the Apollo 11 mission, which saw the first human landing on the Moon in 1969, as per ANI.
The agency's Artemis II mission lifted off aboard the Space Launch System rocket from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida earlier in the day.
A defining moment for space exploration
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, during the launch, said that this launch will surely turn out to be a defining moment for space exploration. He further highlighted that the mission marks humanity's return to the Moon for the first time in over five decades and lays the groundwork for future exploration, including missions to Mars.
Isaacman further added, "Artemis II is the start of something bigger than any one mission. It marks our return to the Moon, not just to visit but to eventually stay on our Moon base, and lays the foundation for the next giant leaps ahead," as per ANI.
The approximately 10-day mission includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Following liftoff, Orion successfully deployed its solar array wings, enabling it to draw power from the Sun, while mission teams began transitioning the spacecraft from launch to flight operations and conducting system checks.
NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya said the mission is a crucial test flight that will validate the spacecraft's systems and capabilities for future crewed missions to the lunar surface.
(With inputs from ANI)
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