Artemis II launch countdown is underway, NASA is preparing astronauts to return to the Moon

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to launch Artemis II, a crewed lunar flyby mission, on 4/1. This is a major milestone for the United States: for the first time in more than half a century, it will send astronauts into lunar orbit. The mission will be carried out by four astronauts aboard Boeing’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, as well as the Orion spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin.

Artemis II will send four astronauts on a lunar flyby

As the countdown to the Artemis II mission steadily progresses, the launch time is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time (6:24 a.m. on 4/2 in Taiwan). Weather forecasts show an 80% chance that weather conditions will be suitable, and the mission will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At that time, NASA will broadcast the entire event live.

This mission will test the Space Launch System rocket (SLS) made by Boeing and the Orion crewed spacecraft made by Lockheed Martin; combined, the two are taller than the Statue of Liberty. The four astronauts will ride the Orion spacecraft for a lunar flyby. NASA originally planned to launch Artemis 2 as early as February, but technical issues pushed the launch schedule back.

NASA aims to return to the Moon in 2028

If this voyage is successful, it will help astronauts prepare thoroughly for stepping onto the Moon again in the future. The last time American astronauts landed on the Moon was in 1972, and before that, there were many things that still needed to be prepared—expected to take two years and require a significant amount of funding.

In February this year, NASA’s newly appointed administrator, Jared Isaacman, released a revised plan for NASA’s Artemis program, adding a test mission to be conducted next year. The Artemis 3 mission will send astronauts to dock with one or two lunar landers in Earth orbit to practice docking in space. The Artemis 4 mission, scheduled for 2028, will attempt a lunar landing.

The Artemis lunar-landing program reflects many people’s expectations for NASA’s future. The Apollo program sent Armstrong and his astronaut crewmates to the Moon and etched it into U.S. history; it was a product of America’s pursuit of strategic dominance during the Cold War. Today, the Artemis program will allow NASA to leverage American industrial capabilities and entrepreneurial spirit, learn how to survive on the Moon, and ultimately land on Mars.

This article, published in the countdown to the Artemis II launch, about NASA preparing to return astronauts to the Moon, first appeared on Lian News ABMedia.