Artemis II astronauts expected to reach far side of moon on Monday
📖 Full Retelling
📚 Related People & Topics
NASA
American space and aeronautics agency
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space exploration. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across th...
Artemis II
Artemis program's second lunar flight
Artemis II is a planned lunar spaceflight mission under the Artemis program, led by NASA. It is intended to be the second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS), and the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft. It is the first crewed mission around the Moon, and beyond low Earth orbit, since A...
Entity Intersection Graph
Connections for NASA:
Mentioned Entities
Deep Analysis
Why It Matters
This mission represents humanity's first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, marking a critical milestone in NASA's Artemis program to return humans to the Moon. It demonstrates significant advancements in space technology and international collaboration, paving the way for future lunar surface missions and eventual Mars exploration. The success of Artemis II directly affects NASA's timeline for establishing sustainable lunar presence, influences global space agency partnerships, and inspires renewed public interest in space exploration.
Context & Background
- The last human mission to the Moon was Apollo 17 in December 1972, ending NASA's Apollo program
- Artemis I successfully completed an uncrewed test flight around the Moon in November 2022
- The Artemis program aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface by 2025
- NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft form the backbone of Artemis missions
- International partners including ESA, CSA, and JAXA contribute critical components to the Artemis architecture
What Happens Next
Following Monday's lunar flyby, the Orion spacecraft will complete its trajectory around the Moon and begin the return journey to Earth, with splashdown expected approximately 10 days after launch. NASA will analyze mission data to certify systems for Artemis III's lunar landing mission. The agency will also announce crew assignments for Artemis III in early 2024, with lunar lander development continuing through SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
The far side provides unique scientific opportunities, including radio astronomy shielded from Earth's interference and geological studies of ancient lunar crust. This flyby tests navigation and communication systems in challenging conditions where direct Earth contact is temporarily lost.
Artemis II uses modern technology including advanced computers, life support systems, and international spacecraft components. Unlike Apollo missions that entered lunar orbit, Artemis II performs a free-return trajectory flyby without orbital insertion, testing systems for longer-duration missions.
Primary objectives include validating Orion's life support systems with crew aboard, testing communication and navigation during lunar operations, and ensuring crew safety during high-speed reentry. The mission also collects engineering data for future Artemis missions and demonstrates international partnership capabilities.
The four-person crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). This represents NASA's most diverse lunar crew to date.
Orion is designed to operate autonomously during the approximately 45-minute communication blackout period. Systems will continue functioning according to pre-programmed parameters, with mission control regaining contact as the spacecraft emerges from behind the Moon.