Artemis II astronauts find hidden eggs on Easter Sunday as they close in on the moon
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- As Artemis II astronauts approach the moon, they celebrated Easter by sending greetings to Earth and hiding dehydrated scrambled eggs in the Orion spacecraft cabin as a holiday tradition.
- The crew, including first-time space flyer Jeremy Hansen, tested new Artemis pressure suits to prepare for emergencies, while also conducting scientific observations of the moon’s surface from a distance of about 76,000 nautical miles.
- Astronauts and mission control marveled at detailed lunar features visible from orbit, such as the Mare Imbrium basin and craters Tycho and Copernicus, highlighting the unprecedented clarity of the moon’s terrain.
- Orion's previously malfunctioning toilet system was repaired, allowing normal use after earlier reliance on contingency collapsible urinals, improving crew comfort during the mission.
- The spacecraft is set to enter the moon’s gravitational sphere of influence early Monday, with the crew passing behind the lunar far side out of Earth contact for about 40 minutes, during which they will conduct further scientific observations and set a new distance record beyond Apollo 13.
