As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Artemis II spacecraft is travelling deeper into space, four astronauts aboard are making history.
The mission breaks 56-year-old space record on Moon flyby.
But beyond the record-breaking distance, the mission is full of surprises that you might not expect.
Five different hot sauces are flying around the Moon
The Orion spacecraft is carrying 189 unique menu items along with five different types of hot sauce. Additionally, there are maple syrups, chocolate spreads, barbecued beef brisket, spicy green beans, and even mango-peach smoothies. The items are specifically added to the menu that can stay fresh without refrigeration for the entire 10-day trip.
Astronauts use a heavy metal playlist as alarm
NASA has been using wake-up calls for its astronauts for decades now. These include the tracks “Green Light” by John Legend, “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, and “Working Class Heroes” by CeeLo Green. On the day of the moon flyby, they were woken up by “Good Morning” by Mandisa.
They named a crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife
The crew proposed the name “Carroll” for a bright, fresh crater on the moon to remember Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife. She died of cancer in 2020. Another crater was named “Integrity” after the Orion spacecraft.
An Apollo legend sent a message before dying
The late Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell, who was a crew member of Apollo 8 and the unfortunate Apollo 13, recorded a special message for the crew. At the age of 97, before his death, he said, “Welcome to my old neighbourhood. Don’t forget to enjoy the view.”
A sandbox prepared them for the Moon
For training purposes, the crew was initially trained in a simple sandbox at NASA. Through the reflection of lights on sand at various angles, they learn to study textures and colours on the lunar surface.
The astronauts were also trained in the Icelandic highlands, which also resemble the Moon.
Artemis II is set to conclude on Friday with a splashdown off San Diego.
