NASA’s Artemis II Poised to Initiate First Manned Lunar Mission in Years

History was created yesterday at Cape Canaveral. For the first time in more than half a century, a crewed expedition is en route to the moon. Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a 10-day journey around the moon and back.

The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen. In addition to executing the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972, the astronauts will also evaluate the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft for deep space travel. Specifically, the mission will showcase life support systems for a manned venture, establishing the groundwork for a sustained presence on the moon before upcoming missions to Mars.

“Artemis II serves as a test flight, and the testing has only just commenced. The team that constructed this vehicle, repaired it, and readied it for launch has provided our crew with the machinery required to demonstrate its capabilities,” says NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya. “During the next 10 days, Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy will put Orion to the test so that the subsequent crews can approach the moon’s surface with assurance. We are embarking on a long campaign, and our future work surpasses the efforts we have already accomplished.”

The mission will culminate with a scheduled multi-hour lunar flyby on Monday, April 6. This will enable the astronauts to be the first individuals to observe certain areas of the moon’s far side that have been previously inaccessible to astronomers and other astronauts. The crew will capture photographs and log their findings. Since the lunar far side will only be partially lit, the shadows will aid the astronauts in better capturing reliefs, ridges, slopes, and crater edges that are more difficult to notice under full lighting.

The most recent update from NASA administrator Jared Isaacman indicates that the Artemis II astronauts are doing well. “The Orion spacecraft is operating effectively in an impressive elliptical orbit,” he stated on X. The crew convened earlier today to progress with this trans-lunar injection burn, which will propel them out of Earth’s orbit and toward the moon.

Before settling in for a four-and-a-half-hour rest period, the crew enjoyed a stunning view—a crescent earth. “I just wanted to share the beauty that we’re experiencing,” Koch remarked. “You can clearly see the coastline of the continent, you can identify rivers due to the sunglare, you can observe high thunderclouds […] the South Pole illuminated. It is simply incredible. You all look fantastic.”

To stay informed about Artemis II, tune into NASA’s livestream below and be sure to follow NASA on Instagram.