Artemis 2: NASA’s Crewed Spacecraft Orbits the Moon and Earth
Image source, Reuters
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After more than fifty years, NASA has launched the crewed spacecraft ‘Artemis 2’ to orbit the Moon.
The spacecraft was launched from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and is currently orbiting Earth.
The crew will complete a series of system checks during the first 24 hours while the spacecraft remains in Earth orbit. Only after confirming all systems are normal will the mission proceed to send Artemis 2 on its trajectory toward the Moon, officials stated.
The Artemis 2 mission includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hanson.
Image source, NASA/PA WIRE
NASA officials confirmed that the crew is “safe, confident, and in high spirits.”
Astronaut Reid Wiseman described “magnificent views” immediately after launch. He said, “We experienced an amazing lunar sunrise.”
Image source, Reuters
The astronauts will spend a total of 10 days aboard the spacecraft, orbiting the Moon without landing on its surface.
Human astronauts last set foot on the Moon during the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 70s.
The Artemis 2 crew will practice operating and managing the Orion spacecraft during the mission.
This mission will reach farther into space than any crewed mission before, traveling approximately 4,600 miles beyond the far side of the Moon.
The astronauts plan to travel farther than any humans before and then return safely.
Mission specialist Christina Koch mentioned that the crew would conduct up to three hours of detailed study in lunar orbit.
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