This will be humanity’s first return to lunar exploration in over 50 years. The Artemis II mission is currently scheduled to launch no earlier than February. It will take four astronauts on a thrilling ten-day round trip to the Moon! This mission is pivotal in our preparations for future crewed lunar landings. With an eye toward a long-term presence on the Moon by 2027.
The Artemis II crew has been announced and includes three of NASA’s most accomplished astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. They are then joined by Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. Unlike many other Artemis missions, this one does not involve a landing on the lunar surface. What makes it notable is that it’s the first crewed trip beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 back in 1972.
The astronauts will explore via the Orion capsule, their exploration command ship and home-in-space for their mission. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will deliver the Orion spacecraft to orbit around the Earth. It will be augmented on takeoff by two five-segment solid rocket boosters. The boosters will individually separate and return to Earth roughly two minutes after launch. This separation allows the SLS to make its climb safely.
After achieving orbit, Artemis II will perform a Translunar Injection (TLI) burn, propelling the spacecraft toward the Moon. During this crucial phase, Orion’s service module will be in charge. After their lunar flyby, the crew will start their four-day journey back to Earth.
The mission is intended to obtain useful information and experience that will help guide future lunar missions. Earlier this year, NASA released a plan that timeline for sending astronauts to the Moon’s surface by 2027. This mission is cumulating the larger Artemis program.
Dr. Simeon Barber, a prominent figure in aerospace engineering, highlighted the significance of this mission:
“Any first human spaceflight mission of a new space system, new rocket system and spacecraft is hugely exciting because it’s the dawn of new possibilities.”
He admitted that a lot of hurdles remain, especially when it comes to the technology required to make future lunar landings happen.
“The Moon landing will require [Elon Musk’s] SpaceX Starship to take the astronauts to and from the surface, and we’ve seen in recent months that Starship itself still has a long way to go before it can even achieve an orbital flight around the Earth, let alone put astronauts on board.”
The Artemis II mission is a great example of the teamwork that exists within NASA. It unifies international partners, including the Canadian Space Agency. Lakiesha Hawkins, a NASA official, remarked on the historic nature of this endeavor:
“We together have a front row seat to history. We’re returning to the Moon after over 50 years.”
As preparations press on, NASA is cautiously excited about what this historic mission could achieve. Dr. Barber reiterated the hope shared by many involved:
“We’ve got our fingers crossed, we’re on tenterhooks, we’re hoping that [the mission] works successfully and leads to another lunar landing with humans on the surface of the Moon again, which would be amazing.”
NASA’s Artemis program is designed to bring humans back to the Moon. It provides a foundation for exploring Mars and destinations farther into the solar system in the years ahead. The crewed Artemis II mission, now slated for mid-2024, will yield invaluable insights into deep space travel and human capabilities in extraterrestrial environments.