NASA is gearing up for an ambitious return to lunar exploration, targeting early March for the launch of Artemis II, a mission that will take humans around the Moon for the first time in over half a century. Set to embark on a 10-day journey, this mission will mark humanity’s farthest venture into space since the Apollo era, with the crew expected to pave the way for future lunar landings.
Launch Details and Crew Composition
NASA has set the earliest launch date for Artemis II as March 6, which translates to the early hours of March 7 in the UK. This timeline follows a successful “wet dress rehearsal” at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crucial test during which the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was fully fuelled and put through a countdown sequence. This rehearsal was the Artemis team’s second attempt, following an earlier practice that had to be cut short due to a hydrogen fuel leak.
Lori Glaze, a key figure at NASA, expressed her excitement about the mission during a recent news conference. “Every night I look up at the Moon and I see it and I get real excited because I can feel she’s calling us and we’re ready,” she said, highlighting the growing enthusiasm surrounding Artemis II. The crew, comprising three Americans—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch—and one Canadian, Jeremy Hansen, is set to undergo quarantine as they prepare for the historic mission.
The Journey Ahead
The astronauts will launch aboard NASA’s 98-metre (322-foot) SLS rocket, which has only flown once before, on a test mission without crew in November 2022. Once in space, the astronauts will be housed in the Orion capsule, a living space roughly the size of a minibus, where they will eat, work, and rest during their journey.
After spending the first day in Earth’s orbit, the crew will embark on a four-day flight to the Moon. They will traverse the far side of the lunar surface, which remains unseen from Earth, and will be positioned approximately 6,500-9,500 kilometres (4,000 to 6,000 miles) above the Moon as they conduct observations and take images. Following this flyby, the astronauts will initiate their return journey, concluding with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Future Missions and Lunar Competition
The success of Artemis II will lay the groundwork for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon’s surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA has ambitious plans to achieve this by 2028, though the timeline is considered challenging. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has been contracted to develop the lunar lander for Artemis III, but delays surrounding SpaceX’s Starship rocket have prompted NASA to seek a more streamlined approach to ensure timely progress.
In addition to SpaceX, NASA has reached out to Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, to propose an accelerated lunar plan. This race to the Moon’s surface is intensified by China’s aspirations to land on the Moon by 2030, with both nations eyeing the lunar south pole as a prime location for future bases.
Why it Matters
The Artemis II mission represents not just a return to lunar exploration but a pivotal moment in the broader context of space advancement and international competition. As nations vie for dominance in lunar exploration, NASA’s efforts to send humans back to the Moon are vital for maintaining leadership in space. The implications extend beyond scientific discovery; they embody national pride and the quest for technological innovation, setting the stage for future missions that could ultimately lead humanity to Mars and beyond.
