Artemis II - Back to the Moon

1 day ago
2 min read

The Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion Spacecraft are on the verge of making history. Humans haven’t left what’s known as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) since the Apollo missions that wrapped up in the 1970s. In those 50 years, most of NASA’s energy has been focused on things like the Space Shuttle Program, with reusable rocketry and more space for crew and experiments.

A rocket launches into a dark sky, flames blazing beneath. — *NASA/SLS launched the Artemis I mission Nov. 16, 2022*

The Rocket

In the last ten years, though, NASA has once again set its eyes on the moon. Artemis I was an unmanned mission meant to test the capability and function of the SLS rocket design, and it worked nearly perfectly. Every detail was well within the calculated margin of error, with the rocket boosters being the most accurate set of “twins” that NASA has ever flown. (Here’s NASA’s reference guide for my fellow nerds!).

For the Artemis II mission, the same SLS rocket will be used in conjunction with the Orion spacecraft. The Orion will carry all four astronauts out of LEO and was actually made by the European Space Agency before being assembled in the United States. Due to some issues with hydrogen tanks, the Artemis II launch was delayed from its original window, but the shuttle finally lifted off at 6:35 p.m. EDT on April 1st!

The Crew

The four astronauts heading to the moon are very capable, with all having a Masters degree in science and most already having time in space under their belt. Commander Reid Wiseman served time both as a navy aviator and as a flight engineer on the International Space Station. Along with a previous space flight, Pilot Victor Glover has flown over 40 aircraft and 24 combat missions. Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NC State alumni) has set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days), and participated in the first all-female spacewalk. Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency) will be the first ever Canadian to venture to the moon.

The Mission

The Artemis II mission is a crucial test stage for the later missions in the program. While none of the astronauts will set foot on the lunar surface, the crew will be testing every system imaginable to ensure that future Artemis missions lead to a successful moon landing in the close future (Artemis III or IV, based on the operation of the SLS).