The Artemis crew awoke from their sleep to the song "Pink Pony Club" by Chappell Roan around 12:35 p.m. ET.
Crewmembers Christina Koch, mission specialist; Victor Glover, pilot; Reid Wiseman, commander; and Reid Wiseman, commander; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; are shown on the Artemis II mission on flight day 3.
NASA
“We were all eagerly awaiting the chorus,” one crew member said.
Mission Specialist 1 Christina Koch gazing at Earth from Orion’s windows, a reminder of home as they travel toward the moon.
NASA
Commander Reid Wiseman gazes at Earth from Orion’s windows, a reminder of home as they travel toward the moon.
NASA
NASA also just released new downlinked images from Orion capturing Commander Reid Wiseman and Mission Specialist 1 Christina Koch gazing at Earth from Orion’s windows, a reminder of home as they travel toward the moon.
-ABC News' Briana Alvarado
Apr 04, 2026, 9:35 AM EDT
Orion passes midpoint as Artemis II enters Flight Day 4
Overnight, the Orion spacecraft moved closer to the moon than to Earth, with just over 119,000 miles still to go.
This handout picture by an Artemis II crew member provided by NASA shows Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen peering out the window of the Orion spacecraft on April 3, 2026.
NASA via AFP via Getty Images
According to NASA, after the first outbound trajectory correction burn was canceled, the crew prepared the cabin for the upcoming lunar observation period and tested Orion’s emergency communications system.
This handout picture provided by NASA shows the Moon taken by an Artemis II crewmember through the window of the Orion spacecraft on April 3, 2026.
NASA via AFP via Getty Images
The crew remains asleep now, with a scheduled wake-up around 11:35 a.m. CDT/ 12:35 p.m. EDT to begin Flight Day 4.
-ABC News’ Briana Alvarado
Apr 03, 2026, 10:21 PM EDT
Artemis II nearly halfway to the moon
The Artemis II crew is nearly halfway to the moon on Day 3 of the historic mission, NASA said in an update Friday evening.
The crew aboard the Orion spacecraft will take a 685,000-mile journey around the moon, also known as a lunar fly-by, during which they will conduct scientific observations of the moon's surface, NASA said.
A view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft's four main windows after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2, 2026.
Reid Wiseman/NASA
Apr 03, 2026, 5:14 PM EDT
NASA gives preview of upcoming lunar flyby
During Friday's press conference, NASA leaders gave a preview of the Artemis II crew's upcoming lunar flyby.
On Saturday, the crew will take a selfie of the spacecraft and test some thruster flight modes on Orion.
On Monday, during the six-hour lunar observation period when the crew is on the far side of the moon, the astronauts will be at their closest approach to the lunar surface.
NASA astronaut Christina Koch participates in the daily planning conference in Orion spacecraft as it heads to the moon, April 3, 2026.
NASA
They will be making visual observations as well as photographs and video. The observation period will begin at around 2:30 p.m. ET, NASA said.
The blackout period, when the crew is behind the moon and loses communications with Mission Control, is expected to last about 40 minutes.
When asked if there is reason to worry about the astronauts when they are behind the moon and out of contact with Earth, Judd Frieling, Artemis flight director, said, "Physics takes over and physics will absolutely get us back to the front side of the moon."
