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American space agency NASA will launch ‘Artemis-2’ mission today on April 2. At 3:54 am, ‘Space Launch System’ (SLS) will leave for the moon carrying 4 astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft. This launch will take place from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This is the first time after ‘Apollo-17’ in 1972 that a human will cross the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and reach close to the Moon. In this mission, all four passengers will revolve around the moon and then return back to Earth. This mission will last for about 10 days.
‘Space Launch System’ (SLS) will leave for the Moon carrying 4 astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft.
Purpose: NASA wants to investigate ‘life support system’
The purpose of the mission is to investigate the ‘life support system’ of the Orion spacecraft. NASA wants to see how safe it is for humans to live in space. The spacecraft will not land on the Moon’s surface right now, but will ease the way for humans to settle on the Moon in the future.
4 Astronauts: For the first time a woman will reach near the moon
The mission includes three astronauts from NASA and one from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
1. Reed Wiseman: Wiseman (50), a former US Navy test pilot, is the commander for this mission. Wiseman, who spent six months on the International Space Station in 2014, is afraid of heights above the ground. After losing his wife in 2020, Wiseman is raising his two daughters alone.
2. Christina Koch: Engineer and physicist Christina Koch (47) is the mission specialist. She holds the record for the longest stay in space by a woman (328 days). In his childhood, he had decided to become an astronaut after seeing the ‘Earthrise’ photo taken of Apollo-8.
3. Jeremy Hanson: Former Canadian fighter pilot Jeremy Hanson (50) is a mission specialist. If everything goes according to plan, Hanson will become the first non-American to reach the moon through this mission. Hanson will take with him Canada’s famous maple syrup and cookies.
4. Victor Glover: Glover (49), selected as a pilot for the mission, will be the first black person to reach close to the moon. Glover would take with him a Bible and his wedding rings. They say that the true meaning of being human is to discover and learn your place in the universe.
Astronauts (left to right) Jeremy Hanson, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reed Wiseman heading to the launch pad; Photo taken during launch day rehearsals at Kennedy Space Center.
Next step: Preparing to land on the lunar surface
After Artemis-II, NASA will work on ‘Artemis-III’ mission. The docking system will be tested in it. If everything goes well, then in the year 2028, humans will once again set foot on the moon through Artemis-IV. Earlier in 2022, unmanned Artemis-1 was sent.
Big difference between Apollo and Artemis programs
The main objective of the Apollo mission in the 70s was to prove itself superior in the ongoing ‘space race’ with the Soviet Union. But the Artemis program is entirely a preparation for the future.
This time NASA wants to build a permanent base on the moon, so that humans can learn to work by living there. This experience will help in fulfilling the dream of going to Mars in future.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin standing near the American flag on the surface of the Moon in 1969.
24/7 coverage on YouTube and NASA website
People from all over the world can watch this historic moment sitting at home. NASA will stream it live on its YouTube channel and ‘NASA+’ platform. After the Orion spacecraft reaches space, live views will also be shared from there.
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