Artemis II crew battles 'space plumbing' issues while nearing historic lunar milestone

Artemis II preps for lunar flyby

The Artemis II crew is set to make history again when they circle around the moon at the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans. FOX 26's Mekenna Earnhart explains what's been going well and not so well during the mission.

HOUSTON, Texas - The four astronauts of NASA’s Artemis II mission are just hours away from a historic encounter with the Moon, closing out Flight Day 5 by crossing an invisible line into lunar territory.

As of Sunday evening, the Orion spacecraft is roughly 200,000 miles from Earth. Around 11:41 p.m. CT, the ship is expected to enter the "lunar sphere of influence", the precise moment the Moon’s gravity becomes the primary force pulling on the vehicle.

Message from the past

What they're saying:

The day began with a bridge between generations. The crew received a recorded wake-up call from Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, who walked on the Moon in 1972. Duke shared a personal connection to the current mission: his own lunar module 54 years ago was also named Orion.

"I’m glad to see a different kind of Orion helping return humans to the moon as America charts the course to the lunar surface," Duke told the crew.

Space-age plumbing

Troubleshooting:

While the mission is making history, the crew is also dealing with the "unglamorous" side of deep-space travel. Mission Control here in Houston has been working with the astronauts to troubleshoot a stubborn ice blockage in the ship’s toilet vent.

The issue has forced the crew, including Commander Reid Wiseman and Pilot Victor Glover—to use backup containment bags. NASA engineers even had the crew rotate the entire spacecraft to let the sun "bake" the vent in an attempt to melt the ice. Despite the cramped conditions, NASA officials say the crew remains in high spirits as they prepare for the mission's biggest milestones tomorrow.

Monday’s record-breaking schedule

Timeline:

Monday, April 6, is set to be the busiest day of the mission so far. The crew will not only swing around the Moon but will travel farther from Earth than any human in history.

12:56 p.m.: The crew officially breaks the all-time distance record for human spaceflight, surpassing the mark set by Apollo 13 (248,655 miles).

5:47 p.m.: A predicted 40-minute communications blackout begins as Orion passes behind the far side of the Moon.

6:02 p.m.: Closest approach to the Moon (approx. 4,070 miles above the surface).

6:07 p.m.: Orion reaches its maximum distance from Earth—roughly 252,760 miles.

Massive driver for the Texas economy

By the numbers:

The Artemis program is a massive driver for the Texas economy, supporting over 14,000 jobs and contributing an estimated $3.5 billion to the state. With the mission managed directly from the Johnson Space Center, Houston remains the heart of America’s return to the lunar surface.

The crew is scheduled to begin their return journey following tomorrow's flyby, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean currently set for April 11.