<\/p>\n So what’s an intrepid astronaut crew to do when you’re cruising toward the moon<\/a>, especially when it takes four days to get there, and another four days to get home? Well, perform CPR, for one.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Today is Flight Day 3 of the Artemis 2 crew’s 10-day trip around the moon. It follows two intense days in space that began with a spectacular launch atop NASA’s Space Launch System<\/a> megarocket on April 1 (see amazing launch photos here<\/a>), followed by a jam-packed 24 hours that included a close rendezvous with their rocket upper stage, manual tests of their Orion spacecraft, and critical engine burns to leave Earth behind. Now, the pace eases up.<\/p>\n “It’s going to be much more relaxed than these first two days,” Judd Freiling, NASA’s Artemis 2 ascent flight director, told reporters here at the agency’s Johnson Space Center late Thursday.<\/p>\n The Artemis 2 astronauts<\/a> \u2014 commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover (both of NASA), and mission specialists Christina Koch of NASA and Jeremy Hansen of Canada \u2014 will spend today rehearsing zero gravity life-saving techniques and gear in deep space.<\/p>\n “Glover, Koch, and Hansen will demonstrate CPR procedures in space; Wiseman and Glover will check out some of Orion’s medical kit, including the thermometer, blood pressure monitor, stethoscope, and otoscope,” NASA wrote in a mission overview<\/a>.<\/p>\n The astronauts will also rehearse the complex choreography of photography and lunar observations<\/a> that they hope to record when they fly closest to the moon in a flyby on Flight Day 6 of their mission, which will be April 6. They may even squeeze in time to look back at the Earth they’ve left behind. (See what the Artemis 2 crew is doing each day.<\/a>)<\/p>\n “Observation certainly is one of those things that the crew absolutely will be doing during their time, and they’ve got plenty of time now to reflect and do those other operations,” Frieling said. He added that Mission Control wants to make sure they have time to call their families on their trip. The crew hasn’t had time yet to phone home.<\/p>\n The Artemis 2 astronauts have already completed a huge number of tests on their list so far for this Orion spacecraft shakedown cruise.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n \n The upper stage of the Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket, as seen by the Orion capsule’s docking camera during proximity operations in Earth orbit on April 1, 2026. (Image credit: NASA)<\/p>\n Glover manually flew the Orion spacecraft within about 50 feet (15 meters) of the SLS upper stage to test how the spacecraft’s thrusters handle under manual control.<\/p>\n “I call it test driving the car,” Howard Hu, NASA’s Orion program manager, told reporters in Thursday’s briefing. Orion seemed to perform just as expected during the trial, he added.<\/p>\n At one point, Glover was close enough to make out not just docking targets, but also an American Flag emblazoned on the rocket stage.<\/p>\n “I can see the side docking target. That is a good-looking American flag,” Glover said.<\/p>\n “Overall, guys, this flies very nicely,” he added at after completing the test. “Very precise.”<\/p>\n \n A view of the Artemis 2 SLS rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) as seen from the Orion spacecraft during flight testing on April 1, 2026. (Image credit: NASA)<\/p>\n On Thursday, Wiseman and Glover set up a new flywheel exercise device designed to test ways to stay fit on trips to the moon. After a half hour working out with the flywheel, which works like a zero-gravity rowing machine, Wiseman was impressed.<\/p>\n “Huge kudos, it works,” Wiseman radioed to Mission Control. Aside from building up a slight static charge, the Artemis 2 commander said the flywheel was impressive. “Aside from that it is a really good piece of gear, and we can actually get a nice workout.”<\/p>\n \n The rowing machine-like flywheel Artemis 2 astronauts are testing in space. (Image credit: NASA)<\/p>\n The astronauts spent some time storing at least 7 liters of water from their onboard tanks into plastic bags as a precaution after a valve got stuck during liftoff. Flight controllers wanted to make sure there was an available water supply if another valve had issues.<\/p>\n During the TLI burn preparations, the Artemis 2 reported some caution lights and a cabin leak alert, but all were benign and no threat, Hu said. They’ve also already repaired their Orion space toilet<\/a>.<\/p>\n “We’re learning about the boundaries of these caution and warning parameters, and whether they’re really nuisances, or whether they’re real issues,” Hu said.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/vpC4mxvEvGCLvtRGnWPVg8.jpg\")
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