NASA Prepares for Historic Moon Return with Powerful SLS Rocket, Crewed by Astronauts
A historic mission to send astronauts around the moon and back again is set to take off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida as early as February 6. This Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's ambitious plan to return humans to the lunar surface, with the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at its core.
The four-person crew will embark on a 685,000-mile journey that will test life support and communication systems, as well as practice docking maneuvers. This mission is significant not only for NASA but also for the entire space community, with many experts hailing it as a "step towards what we in the space world always dreamed of: the sustained human and robotic exploration of the moon and one day on to Mars."
The SLS rocket, which stands nearly 100 meters tall, will be fueled with over 700,000 gallons of propellant, producing sufficient thrust to fly at speeds of up to 24,500mph. The mission's success is crucial, as it paves the way for future Artemis missions that aim to land astronauts near the lunar south pole as early as next year.
The crew members, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will be the first to travel around the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Koch will become the first woman to do so, while Glover will be the first person of color to venture beyond low Earth orbit.
While some see this mission as a "second space race" against China, which hopes to put its own boots on the moon by 2030, NASA officials remain confident in their plans. As Sean Duffy, former acting administrator, said: "We're going to win." The US has identified 14 alternative launch dates before mid-April in case of technical issues or bad weather.
The Artemis II mission will also serve as a test flight for the Orion spacecraft, with its crew performing manual maneuvers and testing emergency procedures. A final push from the European service module will send the crew to the moon, where they will travel more than 230,000 miles before looping back in a giant figure-of-eight trajectory.
For all NASA's preparations and the astronauts' extensive training, there is always an element of surprise. As Jeff Radigan, Artemis II's lead flight director, noted: "This is a test flight and there are things that are going to be unexpected." Nevertheless, with confidence and determination driving the mission forward, NASA is poised to make history once again.
A historic mission to send astronauts around the moon and back again is set to take off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida as early as February 6. This Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's ambitious plan to return humans to the lunar surface, with the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at its core.
The four-person crew will embark on a 685,000-mile journey that will test life support and communication systems, as well as practice docking maneuvers. This mission is significant not only for NASA but also for the entire space community, with many experts hailing it as a "step towards what we in the space world always dreamed of: the sustained human and robotic exploration of the moon and one day on to Mars."
The SLS rocket, which stands nearly 100 meters tall, will be fueled with over 700,000 gallons of propellant, producing sufficient thrust to fly at speeds of up to 24,500mph. The mission's success is crucial, as it paves the way for future Artemis missions that aim to land astronauts near the lunar south pole as early as next year.
The crew members, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will be the first to travel around the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Koch will become the first woman to do so, while Glover will be the first person of color to venture beyond low Earth orbit.
While some see this mission as a "second space race" against China, which hopes to put its own boots on the moon by 2030, NASA officials remain confident in their plans. As Sean Duffy, former acting administrator, said: "We're going to win." The US has identified 14 alternative launch dates before mid-April in case of technical issues or bad weather.
The Artemis II mission will also serve as a test flight for the Orion spacecraft, with its crew performing manual maneuvers and testing emergency procedures. A final push from the European service module will send the crew to the moon, where they will travel more than 230,000 miles before looping back in a giant figure-of-eight trajectory.
For all NASA's preparations and the astronauts' extensive training, there is always an element of surprise. As Jeff Radigan, Artemis II's lead flight director, noted: "This is a test flight and there are things that are going to be unexpected." Nevertheless, with confidence and determination driving the mission forward, NASA is poised to make history once again.
they're really taking it back to the moon? 1972 was ages ago... what if this mission gets canceled or something goes wrong 
anyway, China's gonna be there too, and that's like, super soon 
NASA thinks they can win a space race, but what about all the other stuff that could go wrong? 
, and the fact that Christina Koch is becoming the first woman to do so is amazing 
. But what really gets me is how much this mission represents for the future - Mars, here we come! 
The competition with China might be fierce, but I think NASA's got this. They've been preparing for years, and it's awesome to see all these talented astronauts on board 
. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly and they make it back safely 
. This is gonna be one epic mission! 
& let's not forget about china trying 2 catch up but like nasa has got this!!! 
. I know some people are saying it's like a "second space race" against China, but let's be real, NASA's been working tirelessly to get this right 
. Bring on that SLS rocket and let's make some history 
this moon return thingy seems like just another way for NASA to burn through our tax dollars. Like, what's the point of all this? We can barely maintain our own infrastructure on Earth and they're trying to send people all the way back to the moon? It's just a bunch of hubris if you ask me 
. I'm also low-key excited that Christina Koch is going to be the first woman to do it - women in STEM are total rockstars 
. Bring on February 6 and let's make some history! 
this is gonna be lit! i mean, can you believe we're actually sending humans back to the moon? it's like something out of a sci-fi movie! 
i'm so hyped for the crew, especially christina koch - she's breaking all sorts of barriers and inspiring people everywhere. 
and let's be real, 24,500mph is just INSANE 
.
! Think about it, we're on track to have humans back on the moon in like 2 years? That's insane! The fact that Christina Koch is gonna be the first woman to do so gives me major goosebumps 
. But seriously, it's awesome that NASA is pushing forward with confidence and determination. They're gonna win this thing, mark my words 
!
. And let's not forget the SLS rocket - 700,000 gallons of propellant? That's insane! 
. The whole thing just feels so exciting and full of possibilities! 
. People seem so obsessed with beating China to the moon, like winning a space race or something 
.
I mean seriously who needs to go back to the moon? It's not like we've learned anything from the last time humans were there, just a bunch of old boots and broken equipment 
The cost alone is crazy 700k gallons of fuel for what, a few hours in space? 
And what's with all this hype about the SLS rocket? It's just a big metal stick on wheels 
Can't we focus on something more practical like colonizing Mars or solving our own problems on Earth?