# Back to the Moon! Artemis program follow along (it's finally happening!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 27, 2022, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432 "2022-08-27T12:25:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/681 "2026-04-03T15:33:10Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > So if the first statement is true, and the Moon is not pretty close to the apogee on the 6th of april they will not be the furthest away from earth ever. Apparently, the apogee will be on April 6th ([calculator](https://dqydj.com/lunar-distance-calculator/)). So something like 405000 km, plus the swing from the free-return trajectory which (Mistral tells me) will take them 7600 km beyond the Moon. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/682 "2026-04-03T15:35:59Z")
Thanks for the data! So they were not lying? Color me surprised. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/683 "2026-04-03T17:42:03Z")
The real question is, which of the four astronauts will be farthest from Earth when the ship reaches that point? I wonder if they will be fighting for that seat. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/684 "2026-04-03T17:58:00Z")
As this will happen during the famous forty minute communication breakdown there will not only be a nice whodunnit opportunity but also great 0G slapstick without the interference of the party spoilering ground controllers. I hope the cameras register all that and put it in YouTube to the tune of Yakety Sax. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/685 "2026-04-03T18:53:10Z")
Finally getting some in-cabin video. I heard the CapCom mention the crew is scheduled to take some time to talk to (at?) the viewing public. (After they cut the public feed for some private family communication.) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/686 "2026-04-03T19:34:12Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Now, where can I find out where in the continuum perigee - apogee the Moon is when Artemis II flies behind the moon during those ominous 40 minutes? Instead of that, I think all we have to determine is the distance that Integrity will be when it’s at its farthest point. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/687 "2026-04-03T21:18:14Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Instead of that, I think all we have to determine is the distance that Integrity will be when it’s at its farthest point. It is _supposed_ to happen at 23:09, on 6 Apr., which would make it 413113 km from the Centre of the Earth… (the surface is somewhat closer, of course) {What are you trying to calculate?} ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/689 "2026-04-04T00:49:20Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Artemis V to XI will involve more lunar landings, delivering vehicles and infrastructure to the moon, including a surface habitat. Is this really going to happen at $4 billion + per rocket? > [@hajario](#): > > > [@Dorjan](#): > > > > What’s the point of Antarctic research stations? > > Research in geology, climate, astronomy and biology of local species. Except that Antarctic research can be done with off the shelf equipment. We didn’t have to ltierally invent the airplane to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/690 "2026-04-04T03:45:27Z")
Right about to pass the halfway point between Earth and Moon, now. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/691 "2026-04-04T04:04:27Z")
Ninja’d by @Velocity, but I was watching for that very moment – with the five-second updates, here’s the halfway point just seconds later: [![](https://i.imgur.com/XgZn2Mb.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/XgZn2Mb.jpeg) Orion will continue slowing for quite some time yet, as the point of gravitational equilibrium is obviusly much closer to the moon than to earth. Beyond that point, it will begin accelerating, pulled in by the moon’s gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/692 "2026-04-04T09:31:46Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > What are you trying to calculate? I was speaking to the discussion on if Artemis II would really become the ship that brought astronauts the farthest from earth. ETA — no idea why @DPRK ’s question is in italics. It must be the square brackets s/he used. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/693 "2026-04-04T11:27:33Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Seems like the perfect setup for a whodunnit. One of them should hide in the restroom (I’m assuming there are no cameras there). And after resuming comms, the rest should pretend they’ve never heard of the hiding astronaut, and there were only 3 aboard when they left. For added fun, they could ask questions from an alternate history line (Ask whether President Pelosi plans to talk to them later, and other stuff like that). ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/694 "2026-04-04T13:01:43Z")
The astronauts are sending back some gorgeous pictures of Earth. I wonder how the flat-earthers are hand-waving these away? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/695 "2026-04-04T13:07:17Z")
It’s Sora images all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/696 "2026-04-04T14:25:31Z")
In a cute twist, since Sora is being taken down, they’ll have to take real footage and brand it with a fake Sora watermark. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/697 "2026-04-04T15:08:33Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > One of them should hide in the restroom (I’m assuming there are no cameras there). And after resuming comms, the rest should pretend they’ve never heard of the hiding astronaut, and there were only 3 aboard when they left. For added fun, they could ask questions from an alternate history line (Ask whether President Pelosi plans to talk to them later, and other stuff like that). I’ve seen a number of Facebook posts suggesting that during the 40 minute time when Artemis is out of contact with Earth everyone on Earth should put on ape costumes. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/698 "2026-04-04T15:28:04Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > I wonder how the flat-earthers are hand-waving these away? Same way they always did. It was shot on a soundstage. It’s CGI. I sometimes wonder if you even took one up into orbit if they would be convinced. Like Kurt Wise, with a Phd in paleontology who said something like : “if all the evidence in the universe turns against creationism, I would be the first to admit it, but I would still be a creationist because that is what the Word of God seems to indicate.”. (From Wikipedia). Note to mods and everyone else: let’s NOT get off onto a creationism hijack: I just mentioned it as an illustration of how strong preconceptions can be. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/699 "2026-04-04T15:45:34Z")
From a logistics point of view putting the astronauts in ape costumes is an easier task. The funny thing would be if both sides do it independently of each other. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/700 "2026-04-04T16:18:51Z")
> **[Scott Kelly, author of Endurance, demonstrates crying in space.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQC4hIsn4Ow?foo=bar)** > > Ever wonder what it's like to cry in space? This gorilla can show you what happens when you tear up outside the atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432/701 "2026-04-04T16:29:12Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Instead of that, I think all we have to determine is the distance that Integrity will be when it’s at its farthest point. [my inner dialogue] _I wonder if Trump will announce that never in history, integrity been further away from America than during his ~~reign~~ administration_… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-moon-artemis-program-follow-along-its-finally-happening/970432.md?page=36)