Human beings will return to the Moon after more than 50 years, in 2026, in the Orion spacecraft as part of the Artemis mission, which will transport four astronauts on a trip around the satellite: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch (NASA), and Jeremy Hanse (from the Canadian Space Agency).
Orion will be the home of this crew during their approximately 1.1 million kilometers and ten days. They will live and work in the spacecraft’s crew module, while its service module will provide the essential products astronauts need to stay alive, including drinking water, nitrogen and oxygen for breathing.
Marking the first time astronauts will fly aboard Orion, Artemis II will include several objectives to verify many of the ship’s life support systems operating in space for the first time. Thus, the crew will provide valuable feedback for future Artemis missions to the Moon.
The Orion cabin has a habitable volume of 9.34 cubic metersoffering the crew approximately the same living space as two minivans. After their journey into space atop NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, the crew will stow the footrests of Wiseman and Glover’s (commander and pilot, respectively) seats, giving them more room to move during the flight.
The Orion has almost a 60 percent more space than 5.95 cubic meters of the Apollo command module, the manned space program that took humans to the Moon in the 1960s.
Food scientists at the Space Food Systems Laboratory, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, worked with the crew to preselect your meals long before leaving Earth.
Although they will not have the daily options that an International Space Station crew has during their expeditions, the Artemis II astronauts will have a fixed menu based on your personal preferences and nutritional needs.
The Orion spacecraft is equipped with a water dispenser and heater to rehydrate and heat food, and the crew will have dedicated meal times in their schedule to refuel.
30 minutes a day of exercise
During the trip, each astronaut will dedicate 30 minutes a day to exerciseminimizing muscle and bone loss that occurs without gravity.
The Orion is equipped with a flywheel, a small device installed directly below the side hatch used to enter and exit the spacecraft, which will conveniently be used as a step when the crew enters the Orion on launch day.
The flywheel is a simple cable-based device for aerobic exercises (such as rowing) and resistance training (such as squats and deadlifts). It works like a yo-yo, returning as much load to the astronauts as they apply, with a maximum of approximately 180 kilos.
On the International Space Station, astronauts have various exercise machines which collectively weigh more than 1,800 kilos and occupy about 24 cubic meters.
While effective for space station crews, Orion exercise equipment must accommodate stricter mass and volume restrictions. The flywheel weighs approximately 13.6 kilos and is slightly smaller than a carry-on suitcase.
Hygiene area with doors for privacy
The hygiene area includes doors for privacy, a toilet and space for the crew to bring their personal hygiene kits.
Kits typically include items such as hairbrush, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and shaving supplies. Astronauts cannot shower in space, but they use liquid soap, water and no rinse shampoo to stay clean.
When they have to do their needscrew members will use Orion’s toilet, the Universal Waste Management System, a feature that Apollo crews did not have.
Almost identical to a version that flies on NASA’s Space Station, the system collects urine and feces separately. The urine will be vented overboard, while the feces are collected in a container and stored safely for its elimination upon return.
In the event that the toilet malfunctions, the crew will be able to use folding contingency urinalsa system that collects urine in a bag and connects to the ventilation system to send it outside. With two different styles designed to accommodate both women and men, the bags contain approximately a liter of urine each.
If the UWMS system failed, the crew would still use the toilet for fecal collection, just without the fan to help with waste separation.
A medical kit with first aid items
In case of minor medical needs during the mission, Orion will have a medical kit on board that includes everything from basic first aid items to diagnostic tools, such as a stethoscope and an electrocardiogramwhich can be used to provide data to doctors on the ground.
The crew will also have regular private medical conferences with flight surgeons at mission control to discuss their health and well-being.
Despite having a busy schedule, the Artemis II crew will have eight full hours of sleep iintegrated into their schedule to ensure they are well rested and can make the most of their mission.
For most of the mission, All four crew members will sleep at the same time, attaching sleeping bags to the walls. from Orion to rest.
Inside Orion, astronauts will use a handheld microphone and speaker, or wear headphones, to communicate with mission controllers, perform medical checks with flight doctors, and catch up with their families.
The crew will also have tablets and laptops which they can use to review procedures and download entertainment before launch.
Artemis II will confirm that all Orion systems operate as designed with crew on board in the real-world deep space environment.
The mission will pave the way for future missions to the lunar surface, establishing long-term lunar science and exploration capabilities, and inspire the next generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation.
Europa Press Agency.
GML
