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NASA's Artemis 2: Humans Return to Moon's Orbit
1 Apr
Summary
- Artemis 2 mission will send four astronauts to orbit the Moon.
- This flight marks humanity's farthest journey from Earth since 1972.
- The mission tests NASA's new SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.
NASA is gearing up for the Artemis 2 mission, aiming to return humans to the Moon's vicinity for the first time in over fifty years. The mission is slated for launch no earlier than April 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Four astronauts will embark on an approximately 10-day journey, following a free-return trajectory that will take them around the Moon and back to Earth. This flight path will extend their distance from Earth farther than any human has ventured since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
The Artemis 2 mission is crucial for testing NASA's new Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft, especially as it will be crewed. This flight builds directly on the success of the uncrewed Artemis 1 test conducted in 2022 and is essential for preparing for future crewed lunar landings, beginning with the Artemis 3 mission.
