As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Artemis II spacecraft travels deeper into space, four astronauts on board are making history.
The mission breaks a 56-year-old space record on the Moon flyby.
But beyond the record-breaking distance, the mission is full of surprises that you might not expect.
Five different hot sauces fly around the Moon
The Orion spacecraft carries 189 unique menu items along with five different types of hot sauce. Plus, there’s maple syrup, chocolate spreads, grilled 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 an 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, they were awakened by “Good morning” by Mandisa.
They named a crater after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife
The crew suggested 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 she died
The late Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell, who was a crew member on Apollo 8 and the ill-fated Apollo 13, recorded a special message for the crew. At the age of 97, before his death, he said: “Welcome to my old neighborhood. 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 light on sand at different angles, they learn to study the textures and colors of the moon’s surface.
The astronauts were also trained in the Icelandic highlands, which also resemble the Moon.
Artemis II is set to finish on Friday with a splashdown from San Diego.
