Artemis II: Returning Humanity to the Moon

NASA is preparing for a monumental step in space exploration with the Artemis II mission, which represents humanity's first crewed flight to the Moon since 1972, harkening back to the Apollo era.

This mission will involve four astronauts—three Americans and one Canadian—who will launch into Earth's orbit before proceeding on a trajectory around the Moon and returning. The entire journey is planned to last nearly 10 days.

The objective is a lunar fly-around, meaning the crew will not orbit or land on the Moon. They will instead hurtle several thousand miles beyond the lunar surface, execute a U-turn, and return directly to Earth. This test flight is the crucial first step in NASA's broader plan to establish a sustained presence on the Moon.

The Diverse Artemis II Crew

The four astronauts selected for this historic flight bring a wealth of experience to the mission. The crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.

  • Christina Koch: She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days) and participated in the first all-female spacewalk.
  • Victor Glover: A Navy test pilot, he was the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and was part of an early SpaceX launch.
  • Jeremy Hansen: Representing the Canadian Space Agency, Hansen is a former fighter pilot and the only rookie astronaut in the group.
  • Reid Wiseman: The mission commander is a retired Navy captain who previously served on the ISS and headed NASA’s astronaut corps.

The crew members range in age from 47 to 50 years old.

The Hardware: SLS and Orion

The mission relies on NASA’s powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which stands 322 feet tall. While shorter than the Apollo-era Saturn V, the SLS is more powerful at liftoff due to its strap-on boosters.

The astronauts will travel inside the Orion capsule, which incorporates components derived from salvaged space shuttle engines. The SLS utilizes liquid hydrogen fuel, the same fuel that caused repeated grounding issues for the Space Shuttles.

Hydrogen leaks also plagued the uncrewed SLS test flight in 2022. More recently, similar hydrogen leaks delayed the Artemis II mission during a February fueling practice run, pushing the launch window into April due to subsequent helium-flow issues.

Mission Profile: Practice and Deep Space Record

Following liftoff, the first 25 hours will be spent orbiting Earth in a high, lopsided trajectory. During this time, the crew will practice docking procedures by maneuvering the Orion capsule near the separated upper stage, using only their eyes to judge distances, venturing no closer than 33 feet.

Once cleared for the lunar journey, Orion’s main engine will propel the crew toward the Moon, approximately 244,000 miles away, utilizing a free-return trajectory that conserves fuel by relying on lunar and Earth gravity.

On flight day six, Orion is scheduled to reach its furthest point from Earth, sailing 5,000 miles beyond the Moon. This distance will surpass the record set by Apollo 13, making the Artemis II astronauts the most remote travelers to date.

The crew will then begin their return, splashing down on flight day 10—a mission duration of nine days, one hour, and 46 minutes.

Observing the Lunar Far Side

The Artemis II crew is positioned to observe regions of the lunar far side that have rarely been seen by humans. During the closest part of the six-hour flyby, the Moon will appear as large as a basketball held at arm's length.

The crew has been studying maps and satellite imagery of this region. NASA geologist Kelsey Young, who will monitor the flyby from Mission Control in Houston, noted the unifying nature of lunar exploration.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman also ensured the astronauts carry the latest smartphones for capturing inspiring images. Since only China has previously landed craft on the far side, the observations made by this crew will be highly valuable to NASA, contrasting with past missions that focused on the near side facing Earth.

Splashdown and Reentry Concerns

Similar to the Apollo missions, Artemis II will conclude with a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean. Intense scrutiny will be placed on Orion’s heat shield during atmospheric reentry.

This shield sustained significant damage during the 2022 test flight, with charred chunks gouged out. Although the heat shield for Artemis II is the original design, NASA is mitigating reentry stress by shortening the capsule’s atmospheric descent path.

Recovery operations will involve Navy ships stationed off the coast of San Diego to retrieve the capsule after it parachutes into the ocean.