NASA Prepares for Historic Moon Mission with Artemis II
As NASA gears up for a monumental lunar mission, March 6 emerges as the target date to send four astronauts on a journey around the moon. This will be the first human expedition beyond Earth’s orbit since the Apollo missions over five decades ago.
NASA says it’s planning a March 6 launch date to send four astronauts on a trip around the moon on the Artemis II mission. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP via Getty Images
The mission’s launch date follows a successful test fueling of NASA’s towering 322-foot moon rocket, now stationed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator of NASA’s exploration systems development mission directorate, remarked, “This is really getting real. It’s time to get serious and start getting excited.”
Despite the excitement, Glaze emphasized the importance of finalizing preparations, noting that a comprehensive flight readiness review is required before the mission can proceed. “We need to successfully navigate all of those,” she stated, indicating the review’s thoroughness.
The Artemis II mission will cover approximately 600,000 miles, with the crew journeying around the moon and returning to Earth. This mission signifies a crucial step in lunar exploration, marking the first crewed lunar voyage since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
The recent test fueling encountered issues like a liquid hydrogen leak, but following repairs, the dress rehearsal proceeded without major hitches, aside from minor communication glitches. The Artemis II crew, composed of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are currently in quarantine to minimize health risks before their flight.
Glaze shared her interactions with the eager crew during the test fueling, noting their enthusiasm for the potential March launch. “They’re all very, very excited,” she observed, highlighting the anticipation surrounding the mission.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
