Camilla Jessen
A new NASA ‘deep space’ mission is set to be the first of its kind in over 50 years.
NASA announced it is targeting a February launch for Artemis II, a 10-day crewed mission that will send astronauts around the Moon. The last time humans traveled that far from Earth was in 1972, during Apollo 17.
The mission will not land on the lunar surface. Instead, it will carry a crew into deep space to orbit the Moon, including a journey around its far side.
NASA confirmed the plans in a post on X, writing: “We are going — again.”
Artemis takes shape
The mission is part of NASA’s Artemis program, named after the Greek goddess associated with the Moon. The agency says Artemis II is a critical step toward a sustained human return to lunar exploration.
“We are moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “Crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn.”
Despite overall budget cuts announced last year, NASA has continued to prioritize human spaceflight.
Who is flying
The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
They are scheduled to launch aboard a 322-foot rocket, with NASA aiming for February 6. After liftoff, the spacecraft will first loop near Earth to test its systems.
The crew will then travel roughly 230,000 miles from Earth, spending four days flying around the Moon’s far side.
A different way home
NASA says the return journey will also break from tradition. Instead of relying heavily on engines, the spacecraft will use a fuel-efficient trajectory guided by the gravity of the Earth and Moon.
That path will steer the capsule back toward Earth for a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
The mission is designed to test systems and procedures needed for future lunar landings and, eventually, deeper missions into space.
Sources: NASA, AFP, LadBible
