NASA is set to launch Artemis II, a mission that will send humans to the Moon for the first time in over five decades. This flight represents humanity’s first journey to the lunar vicinity since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972.

Artemis II: A Lunar Flyby

The Artemis II mission will follow a trajectory reminiscent of the Apollo program, sending four astronauts on a lunar fly-around. The crew will travel several thousand miles beyond the Moon, execute a U-turn, and return to Earth. This initial mission will last less than 10 days and will not include a landing or moonwalk.

The Diverse Crew

The Artemis II crew comprises Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Reid Wiseman, a retired Navy captain, will command the mission. Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with 328 days aboard the International Space Station, including the first all-female spacewalk. Victor Glover was the first Black astronaut to live and work on the ISS and also launched with SpaceX. Jeremy Hansen, representing the Canadian Space Agency, is the only spaceflight rookie on the crew. The astronauts range in age from 47 to 50.

New Rocket, Familiar Fuel

NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, standing at 322 feet, is more powerful at liftoff than the Apollo-era Saturn V, thanks to its strap-on boosters. The SLS utilizes liquid hydrogen fuel, similar to the Space Shuttles. However, hydrogen leaks previously grounded the shuttles and caused delays during the SLS’s initial unmanned test flight in 2022. Similar leaks during a February fueling practice run also impacted the Artemis II launch schedule.

Mission Trajectory and Objectives

Following liftoff, the astronauts will orbit Earth for 25 hours before using the Orion capsule to practice docking maneuvers with the separated upper stage. The crew will then be propelled towards the Moon on a free-return trajectory, leveraging the gravitational forces of Earth and the Moon. On flight day six, Orion will reach its farthest point, sailing 5,000 miles beyond the lunar surface, surpassing the distance record set by Apollo 13.

Observing the Lunar Far Side

The Artemis II crew anticipates capturing unprecedented images of the lunar far side, which remains largely unexplored. They will be equipped with professional cameras and smartphones, as added by NASA’s administrator Jared Isaacman, to document their observations. NASA geologist Kelsey Young will monitor the flyby from Mission Control in Houston, emphasizing the mission’s unifying potential.

Return to Earth and Heat Shield Concerns

The mission will conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean after a nine-day journey. A critical aspect of the return is the performance of Orion’s heat shield, which sustained damage during the 2022 test flight. While the heat shield design remains unchanged for Artemis II, NASA is limiting heat exposure during reentry. Navy recovery ships will be stationed off the coast of San Diego to retrieve the crew and capsule.