Artemis II: Humans To Fly Around Moon Soon!

NASA's Artemis II mission is poised to become the first crewed flyby of the Moon in more than 50 years, potentially launching as early as April 1. This pivotal mission aims to test critical technologies for eventual human journeys to Mars.

The Artemis program, initiated to establish a long-term lunar presence, includes the upcoming 10-day Artemis II flight, which will be the first crewed Artemis mission. Following the uncrewed Artemis 1 in 2022, this mission will verify the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are operational before a planned lunar landing in 2028.

The crew of four—three Americans and one Canadian—will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft atop the 98-meter-tall SLS rocket. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, engineer Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will test the spacecraft's systems in Earth orbit before venturing toward the Moon.

During their journey, the astronauts will break the record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth, exceeding Apollo 13's record. Their observations will aid in selecting a landing site for the Artemis 4 mission. The return trip will utilize a "free-return" trajectory, with re-entry into Earth's atmosphere requiring careful adjustment due to previous heat shield concerns.

Upon re-entry, parachutes will slow the spacecraft for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. This mission signifies a new era in space exploration, building on past successes while forging new international and commercial partnerships.