What teams has Ty Simpson visited so far? How Alabama QB fits with each suitor

Quarterbacks always steal the spotlight duringNFL draftseason.

Withtop-rated quarterback prospectFernando Mendoza's landing spot a seemingly forgone conclusion – No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders – attention has turned to one of the other top signal-callers in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Where willAlabama'sTy Simpsonend up?

Recent reporting from NFL insider Ian Rapoport may give a bit of insight to the answer.

On March 31,Rapoport reportedthat Simpson had top 30 visits scheduled with three teams in the weeks before the 2026 NFL Draft in addition to a private workout with a fourth team. All four teams have uncertain futures behind center.

Here are the teams Simpson has reportedly visited so far, as well as how he would fit with each team:

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3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, OLB/DE, Texas Tech

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 4. Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Cleveland Browns – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Washington Commanders – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Cincinnati Bengals – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 12. Dallas Cowboys – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 17. Detroit Lions – Spencer Fano, OT/G, Utah

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 18. Minnesota Vikings – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Carolina Panthers - Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kadyn Proctor, OT/G, Alabama

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Los Angeles Chargers – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 23. Philadelphia Eagles – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 24. Cleveland Browns – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 25. Chicago Bears – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 26. Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 32. Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection

New York Jets

Current rostered quarterbacks:Geno Smith, Brady Cook, Bailey Zappe

According to multiple reports, Simpson partook in a private workout with the Jets in late March.

This offseason, New York has already undergone an overhaul of its quarterback room. Gang Green traded 2025 starter Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs, opted not to re-sign backup Tyrod Taylor in free agency and traded for Las Vegas Raiders starter Geno Smith.

Smith agreed to a contract restructure after the trade that will have him hit free agency after the 2026 season, so he is not a long-term answer for New York. Cook, the lone holdover from last year, struggled in his limited opportunities as a starter as an undrafted free agent rookie in 2025. Zappe signed a reserve/future contract after the 2025 season and adds a bit of extra depth.

With two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jets have the capital to take a swing on Simpson as their potential quarterback of the future. Smith could be the bridge quarterback that gives way to the Alabama gunslinger once Simpson is prepared.

In addition to their two firsts this year, the Jets also have three first-round picks in 2027. A strong rookie campaign from Simpson could allow New York to shift its focus in 2027 to building up the roster around him.

AI MOCK DRAFT:Google Gemini predicts lowly Jets landing QB Ty Simpson

Arizona Cardinals

Currently rostered quarterbacks:Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, Kedon Slovis

The Cardinals were one of the three teams to set a top 30 meeting with Simpson, according to Rapoport. And similar to the Jets, the Cardinals do not have a clear future at quarterback.

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Like New York, Arizona parted ways with its 2025 starter, Kyler Murray, this offseason. The Cardinals released Murray at the start of the new league year, and he signed with the Vikings shortly thereafter. They retained Brissett, who began the 2025 season as a backup quarterback, as their presumptive starter entering 2026. Minshew was a free agency signing to give Arizona a new backup behind Brissett, and Slovis, a Cardinals practice squad member in 2025, is additional depth.

None are long-term answers, with Brissett and Minshew due to hit free agency after this coming season. Simpson presents a possible answer to the Cardinals' franchise quarterback question after eating over $35 million to move on from Murray this offseason.

Arizona currently owns the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which it likely won't use on Simpson. But the NFC West team also has the No. 34 overall pick at the top of the second round. The Cardinals are in a good position to either trade back up into the first round to draft Simpson or wait until early on Day 2 to select the Alabama signal-caller if he's still available.

Cleveland Browns

Currently rostered quarterbacks:Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Deshaun Watson

The Browns made two more attempts to get off of the quarterback carousel in 2025 by drafting both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Those attempts came three years after a major swing (and, to this point, a miss) on trading for Deshaun Watson and signing him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal. None of the three attempts at getting off of the carousel have done a convincing job so far.

Watson's Browns tenure has been marred by injuries and poor play when he is healthy. Gabriel struggled in his first shot at Cleveland's starting job last year, and a Week 11 injury paved the way for Sanders to get his shot. Then Sanders had an up-and-down rookie campaign that still leaves his future as the Browns' starter murky.

Could the Browns take yet another swing at a highly touted quarterback prospect in the draft? Their decision to host Simpson on one of their limited top 30 visits suggests there's at least some interest there.

Like the Jets, Cleveland has two first-round picks: one is in the top five, and the other is closer to the bottom of the opening round. That puts them in prime position to add at least one top prospect at a premium position (read: wide receiver or offensive tackle) at the top of the draft, with the flexibility and improved roster infrastructure to take a swing on Simpson later on.

BROWNS QUARTERBACKS:HC Todd Monken wants early clarity on starting QB

Miami Dolphins

Currently rostered quarterbacks:Malik Willis, Quinn Ewers, Cam Miller

The Dolphins' new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, hit a massive reset button on the Dolphins' roster. Gone are quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and edge rusher Bradley Chubb. The new-look Dolphins will be built around a new core and foundation.

Malik Willis, the top free agent quarterback this offseason, appears to be the linchpin of this new foundation. The former Packers' backup quarterback sticks with Sullivan and new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, who also moved to Miami from Green Bay, to begin the 2026 season and Dolphins' rebuild. Second-year passer Quinn Ewers is still around after a decent showing in three starts as a rookie, and Cam Miller is an extra depth piece that Miami brought over from the Raiders' practice squad late last year.

Of the four teams to have reportedly met with Simpson, Miami is the least clear fit on the surface. Willis just signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract to join the Dolphins with $45 million guaranteed. That's starter money with signs pointing to a longer future in Miami.

If the Dolphins are considering drafting Simpson, perhaps they're looking to hedge their bets on Willis. The former Packer struggled in the first two years of his career with the Tennessee Titans, and he has never had a full season of starts yet.

Miami has an extra first-round pick to work with after trading Waddle to Denver. Perhaps Sullivan likes what he sees in Simpson and gives himself future flexibility by making the Alabama gunslinger a first-round pick – and therefore eligible for a fifth-year option down the road.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Ty Simpson top 30 visits: Which teams has Alabama QB met with?

byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

What teams has Ty Simpson visited so far? How Alabama QB fits with each suitor

Quarterbacks always steal the spotlight duringNFL draftseason. Withtop-rated quarterback prospectFernando Mendo...

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Sky Ferreira Accuses Charli XCX of Stealing Her Unreleased Demo Songs for Wuthering Heights Album

Sky Ferreira publicly implied that her unreleased demos were used — without proper credit — on Charli XCX's Wuthering Heights soundtrack album.

• Specific tracks called into question include "Eyes of the World," the intro to "Chains of Love," and "Altars," which fans claim may be rooted in Ferreira's original work dating as far back as 2015.

• Ferreira insists she has dated proof of her contributions, but says it isn't worth the fight — a pointed nod to how the music industry tends to handle artists in her position.

Sky Ferreira— the elusive, perpetually delayed album-having "Everything Is Embarrassing" singer — has spent the past few weeks implying that her fingerprints are a lot more prominent onCharli XCX'sWuthering Heightsalbum than anyone realized. And she's not being subtle about it.

It started back in February, whenWuthering Heightsdropped and a meme circulated about Charli dragging Ferreira back into the studio to make the album. Ferreira's response in the comments was blunt: "To record my old songs." No explanation. No elaboration. Just six words and a handful of asterisks that sent the internet into a full spiral.

That comment simmered for weeks. Then, earlier this month, a fan account named Leon on X decided to question Ferreira's sources of income — which, in retrospect, was a bold choice. Ferreira found the post and clapped back: "I toured for years. I work. I hate to break it to you, but your favorite artist records my old songs. I hope that answers your question."

Still no names. But everyone understood who she was talking about.

Leon then posted a since-deleted screenshot of a text exchange with an alleged "industry insider," who claimed that "Eyes of the World" — the track on which Ferreira is officially credited as a guest feature — and the intro to "Chains of Love" were both taken from her demo "Ancient Idols," a track dating to around 2018 that had been intended for her long-suffering, still-unreleased second album,Masochism. The insider also alleged that "Altars" was based on a Ferreira demo from 2015.

Ferreira didn't confirm those specifics — but she didn't exactly deny them either.She responded to Leon: "Your industry 'insider' is wrong. Close but wrong." Then, in a follow-up, she added: "I'm not going to get into it but it was definitely more than an intro. I have proof of everything with dates. It isn't worth the trouble bc I know how the world works."

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"Close but wrong" and "more than an intro" is a very specific kind of not-denying something.

Ferreira has been careful not to directly accuse Charli XCX of theft by name, framing the issue instead as part of a broader pattern within the music industry — one where creative ownership gets muddied and original authors don't always get their due. But the implication is loud enough that no one is missing it.

The through line in all of this appears to be producer Justin Raisen. Ferreira's frequent collaborator also worked on theWuthering Heightssoundtrack with Charli, and fans have been quick to speculate that music Ferreira created with Raisen — work she reportedly couldn't release while stuck in her deal with Capitol Records — may have eventually made its way to Charli's project.

Ferreira has been candid in past interviewsabout her decade-long battle with Capitol Records, noting that the label "waited until the 10-year anniversary ofNight Time, My Timeto drop me via an automated message that got forwarded to me." So the idea that her unreleased work could've ended up in someone else's hands isn't exactly a stretch.

The irony of all this? Charli has, on more than one occasion, declared her deep admiration for Ferreira — once saying that while she was "the biggest Rihanna stan ever," Ferreira was "the only exception" because "she's one of a kind."

For now, Charli XCX has not commented on Ferreira's claims. Given that this all played out across Instagram comments and since-deleted tweets, it's a very 2026 kind of drama — chaotic, partially redacted, and deeply unresolved.

Ferreira says she has proof of everything with dates. Whether she ever decides it's worth the trouble remains to be seen.

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byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Sky Ferreira Accuses Charli XCX of Stealing Her Unreleased Demo Songs for Wuthering Heights Album

Sky Ferreira publicly implied that her unreleased demos were used — without proper credit — on Charli XCX's Wuthering...

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Lisa Kudrow Says Phoebe from “Friends ”‘Wasn’t Stupid’ Despite Everyone Labeling the Character ‘Such a Ditz’

Lisa Kudrow said her Friends character Phoebe Buffay "wasn't stupid" in a recent interview

NEED TO KNOW

• "At first, Phoebe was very, very far from me. It took a lot of work to justify the things she would say and do," the actress said

• Friends aired for 10 seasons on NBC from 1994 to 2004

Lisa Kudrowis setting the record straight on her iconicFriendscharacter.

The actress, 62, said Phoebe Buffay from the hit sitcom "wasn't stupid" while speaking with actressLily Tomlinfor anInterview Magazinearticle published on ​​Monday, March 30.

"At the time, it was like, 'She's such a ditz. How is it that you only play ditzes?' And I thought, Is she a ditz? To me, she wasn't," Kudrow recalled of the public response to her character.

When asked who called Phoebe a ditz, she replied, "Everybody. In 1994, it was like, 'I love her. She's such a ditz.' And it's like, yeah, okay, that was what a ditz was to us. Someone who wasn't toeing the line."

TheComebackstar emphasized, however, that her character "wasn't stupid."

Still, Kudrow said it took some time for her to personally connect with her character, but it eventually happened over the show's lengthy run.

"At first, Phoebe was very, very far from me. It took a lot of work to justify the things she would say and do. Not in an irritating way—it was fun. Over the course of 10 years, a little bit of her came into me. I lightened up a little more and read some books on spirituality and things, just to try to understand her," she said.

The NBC sitcom about six friends living in New York City aired from 1994 to 2004. It also starredJennifer Aniston,Courteney Cox,David Schwimmer,Matt LeBlancand the lateMatthew Perry.

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Phoebe was a musician who juggled a variety of jobs throughout the series. Kudrow won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of the quirky character in 1998.

The actressrevisited her time on the beloved showwhile speaking withToday.comin 2024.

"We loved each other," she said of her costars. "Going to work every day was heaven. It was too good to be true, but it really was."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Kudrow also said starring on the show and having such early success opened the door for her later works.

"Because I was onFriends, I got to create my own shows that didn't have to be as big asFriends, so I could do something likeThe ComebackorWeb Therapy, and that was really fulfilling," she said at the time.

The Comebackpremieredits third and final seasonon March 22, two decades after its first installment in 2005.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Lisa Kudrow Says Phoebe from “Friends ”‘Wasn’t Stupid’ Despite Everyone Labeling the Character ‘Such a Ditz’

Lisa Kudrow said her Friends character Phoebe Buffay "wasn't stupid" in a recent interview NEED ...

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Gabrielle Union’s Father Dies at 81 After Dementia Diagnosis: ‘Nothing Prepares You for the Painfully Slow Disappearing’

Gabrielle Union's dad, Sylvester Union Jr., has died at age 81

NEED TO KNOW

• He was placed in memory care in 2023, years after being diagnosed with dementia

• "No matter how much you think you know about dementia, nothing prepares you for the painfully slow disappearing of your loved one," Gabrielle wrote in an Instagram tribute

Gabrielle Union's dad, Sylvester "Cully" Union Jr., has died. He was 81.

Sylvester died on Friday, April 3, according to the actress in a heartfeltInstagram tribute. Her father wasplaced in memory care in 2023, years after he was diagnosed with dementia.

"No matter how much you think you know about dementia, nothing prepares you for the painfully slow disappearing of your loved one," Gabrielle, 53, wrote. "First it's repeating words or forgetting little things here or there, then BOOM, he can't swallow or walk."

"The them that you know gets smaller and smaller," she continued. "You hold out hope for sustained eye contact or a smile; even a hand squeeze can make you feel like they could come back to you 'normal' at any second. It's brutal and it's what he experienced, but it wasn't who he was."

TheBring It OnandRiff Raffstar remembered her dad as someone "surrounded by love and support from his ever-growing village."

"I swear he never met a stranger, just friends he hadn't met yet. A lifelong, die-hard Nebraska fan, he taught me the values of teamwork, a fierce work ethic, and that you are only as strong as your weakest link, so tend to them first," she wrote.

Gabrielle also said Sylvester "was a perfectly imperfect man and father," adding that he "acknowledged his imperfections, apologized, and made amends for as long as it took for the hurts to heal."

"No one was ever left behind or unseen," she wrote.

TheForbidden Fruitsstar recalled her dad being the "life of every party," writing, "He loved music, traveling the world, and spending time with extended family and friends."

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"I am grateful for all who stepped up in his final years to care, nurture, and love on him. My family and I are eternally grateful for the medical and memory care staff who ensured he had the best care. My sisters who stepped up are heroes, and I love you both beyond words," the actress said.

"It's bewildering to feel relief that the pain has ended, but profound heartbreak at the finality of his time. I know I'm not the first or last Daddy's girl to go through this, and I'm sending love and healing to anyone suffering the loss of a parent. I know his love is eternal and will find me in every realm," Gabrielle concluded.

The Instagram post featured a compilation video that included clips of Sylvester singing into a microphone during a meal and at a football game, as well as an array of family pictures.

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ActressAja Naomi Kingexpressed her condolences in the comments section, writing, "Sending you so much love," while comedianRobin Thedewrote, "May he dance in heaven always!"

JournalistKelley Carterwrote, "Your dad was always so incredibly kind. Sending you and your sisters all of my love. Here for you always."

In October, Gabrielle shared an Instagram carousel of photosin honor of her dad's 81st birthday, writing, "It's my Dad's 81st birthday and I don't think I've ever been more grateful to be his daughter."

The photos showed family members — including her husband,Dwyane Wade, and her sister,Tracy Union— gathered around her father as he rested in a chair underneath a Nebraska Cornhuskers blanket.

Gabrille previously shared that her dad's medical care has influenced her career choices, explaining, "You know, nursing homes, what's covered by insurance, what's not, home health aids — like that all adds up and having to really be cognizant of an additional output, I have to go where the money goes."

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Gabrielle Union’s Father Dies at 81 After Dementia Diagnosis: ‘Nothing Prepares You for the Painfully Slow Disappearing’

Gabrielle Union's dad, Sylvester Union Jr., has died at age 81 NEED TO KNOW He was placed in memory care i...

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Get caught up on the Artemis II crew’s journey to the moon. What’s happened so far and what’s next

TheArtemis II missionis now far closer to the moon than it is to Earth, with four astronauts cruising toward their target on a slingshot trip that will reach deeper into space than any human has traveled before.

The journey — crewed by NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — marks the first time humans have left Earth orbit since 1972 with the Apollo 17 mission. And with Glover, Koch and Hansen aboard, the it also represents the first time a Black astronaut, a woman astronaut and a non-American astronaut, respectively, have ventured this far.

"Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of, and it's your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the moon," Hansen said Thursday.

Orion is now on what's called a "free return trajectory." That's spaceflight parlance for a slingshot trip: Because of orbital dynamics and the moon's gravity, even if Orion never fires its engine again, the capsule will still swing around the moon and head back to Earth.

The mission, which took off at 6:35 p.m. ET Wednesday, marks the inaugural crewed flight of NASA's Artemis program — a long-term plan to return humans to the moon and eventually establish a lunar settlement. After lifting off atop a towering Space Launch System rocket, the astronauts immediately began putting Orion through its paces, including taking their Orion spacecraft for a 70-minute manual test-drive called a "proximity operations demonstration."

For several more days, the crew members will live, eat, sleep, work out and carry out science experiments inside the campervan-size space of Orion. All the while, they'll face a multitude of risks that are inherent to a deep-space mission.

Here's what has happened so far, what's ahead and what you'll want to watch for as Artemis II makes its way around the moon.

Live views of the crew

While the astronauts keep some of their time tucked inside the 16.5-foot-wide (5-meter-wide ) Orion capsule private, NASA has been broadcasting activities inside the capsule nearly every day of the mission.

NASA has also been giving space enthusiasts the opportunity to tune in and listen to public affairs events during which the astronauts speak to journalists and others on the ground. The first such event happened on Thursday, with reporters prompting the crew to share some fascinating details and reflections.

Wiseman, the mission's commander, detailed a moment aboard Orion that had left the crew speechless.

On Thursday evening, "Mission Control Houston reoriented our spacecraft as the sun was setting behind the Earth," Wiseman said, "and I don't know what we all expected to see at that moment — but you could see the entire globe, from pole to pole.

"You could see Africa, Europe, and if you looked really close, you could see the northern lights. It was the most spectacular moment, and it paused all four of us in our tracks."

The times and dates of upcoming public affairs events are postedhere.

A pivotal burn

The Orion spacecraft crossed one of its most anticipated milestones on Thursday, Flight Day 2, to set the rest of the mission on track for a lunar flyby: the translunar injection burn.

The translunar injection burn is critical for increasing Orion's velocity, allowing the spacecraft to leave behind a circular orbit of Earth and transfer to an oval-shaped orbit that could help it reach the moon.

During the burn, Orion's service module, which provides the spacecraft with power, propulsion and thermal control, gave the capsule a big push to embark on a four-day trip around the moon before completing a figure eight to return to Earth.

The burn lasted for five minutes and 50 seconds, with Orion being just 115 miles above Earth, according to NASA.

A key comms test

Among the activities planned for Day 3 was a successful test of communications equipment via the Deep Space Network, a communications system that supports space missions and provides radar and radio observations.

The DSN is "a ground-based network of large tracking dishes all around the world that together can determine Orion's location while it is in deep space outside the range of GPS," according toNASA.

The network consists of antennas positioned equidistant from one another in the United States, Spain and Australia, according to NASA.

These aren't your typical TV satellites that give you the latest cable channels. Each DSN antenna is about 230 feet (70 meters) wide — taking up about two-thirds of a football field. DSN satellites also have a tracking capacity, providing measurement to the ground crew to allow them to determine a spacecraft's precise location and velocity.

However, there will still be moments during the remainder of the mission where the Artemis II astronauts will lose all contact with the team of mission controllers as they attempt to go farther than any human has ever gone before.

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One of those blackouts will occur during the roughly 40-minute period during which the crew is traveling closest to the moon's surface as they venture to the lunar far side, blocking data from transmitting to or from Earth.

Entering the 'sphere of influence'

En route to the moon, the Orion spacecraft will use its engine to stay on course, carrying out what NASA calls "trajectory correction" maneuvers. It's all in the name of keeping the vehicle on a precision course toward that silvery orb in the sky.

At one point on Day 5 of this flight, late this Sunday, the spacecraft will officially cross the threshold of the lunar sphere of influence — the point in space where the tug of the moon's gravity is stronger than Earth's gravity.

A record-breaking lunar flyby

Day 6 of this mission will bring the highly anticipated crowning achievement. A sweeping lunar flyby will offer the crew unprecedented views of the moon's far side — and allow the team to surpass the record for the farthest humans have ever traveled in space.

If all goes as planned, Artemis II will best the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970 by 3,366 miles (about 5,400 kilometers), reaching 252,021 miles (about 405,000 kilometers) from Earth.

During the closest approach to the heavily cratered lunar surface, the astronauts will capture images and describe what they see to teams in mission control on Earth. The crew will rely on lessons learned from training in the geologic wonderlands and lunar-like environments of places such as Iceland to note details about the shapes, textures and colors of impact craters and ancient lava flows on the moon.

The features the astronauts observe could help inform the landing sites for future Artemis missions and reveal more about the moon's mysterious past.

Chatting with the ISS

The Artemis II crew is expected to make a special call to other humans currently in space: the seven astronauts aboard the International Space Station. NASA officials confirmed Thursday the ship-to-ship call is planned to occur on the seventh day of the mission.

Ahead of the launch of the Crew-12 mission to the ISS, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir shared in January that part of the Artemis II flight plan is a scheduled call between the Orion spacecraft and the space station.

She's excited to talk to Koch, with whom Meir embarked on the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, as well her astronaut classmate Victor Glover and "astronaut uncles," Reid Weisman and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Meir said she and her crewmembers aboard the space station look forward to tracking the journey of their friends and colleagues around the moon.

"We're all very excited to be in space at the same time," Meir said.

A flaming-hot reentry

After more than a week of breaking records and completing test objectives, the crew will have one crucial checklist item left to cross off: coming home.

It's no easy task.

The final phase of flight, called "reentry," happens when the Orion capsule plunges into the thick inner band of Earth's atmosphere while still traveling more than 30 times the speed of sound. The process causes a violent compression of air molecules that can heat the spacecraft's exterior to more than 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).

It's always one of the riskiest parts of any mission, but for Artemis II the stakes are particularly high.

There's a known issue with a part of theOrion capsule's heat shield, which is a part affixed to the spacecraft's circular bottom that's made of an ablative material — meaning it's meant to char and erode as it's exposed to heat. NASA officials has acknowledged that the heat shield on this vehicle is imperfect — a fact they discovered during a 2022 uncrewed test flight called Artemis I. The Orion capsule returned from that mission with a heat shield that was pockmarked with divots and cracks, which is not how the heat shield is supposed to behave. (Heat shields for future Orion capsules have been manufactured differently.)

But mission managers opted to address the issue this time around by reconfiguring the Orion's reentry path, choosing not to complete a "skip" maneuver, in which the capsule dips into the atmosphere, pulls back out, and dives in again. The skip approach used during Artemis I was intended to allow Orion to target a precise splashdown site.

In order to create a more favorable heating environment for the suboptimal heat shield, Artemis II's Orion spacecraft will make a more subtle loft-type maneuver.

Gathering data about how the heat shield behaves this time around is actually a key mission goal.

Jacopo Prisco contributed to this story.

NASA's Artemis program is sending humans into deep space for the first time in more than five decades. Sign up forCountdown newsletterand get updates from CNN Science on out-of-this-world expeditions as they unfold.

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byAlex Forten

in

April 05, 2026

Get caught up on the Artemis II crew’s journey to the moon. What’s happened so far and what’s next

TheArtemis II missionis now far closer to the moon than it is to Earth, with four astronauts cruising toward their target...

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