Kathrine Frich
More than half a century after humanity first set foot on the Moon, the return of crewed lunar missions marks a major moment in space exploration.
The Artemis programme is designed to take astronauts further than ever before, building on the legacy of the Apollo era.
But even as history is being made once again, the latest mission has already encountered an unexpected challenge shortly after launch.
Early setback
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, the first crewed flight to the Moon in more than 50 years, successfully launched from Florida on March 31, according to reports from the Daily Star.
But shortly after takeoff, the crew encountered a technical issue involving the spacecraft’s toilet system.
Officials said the “toilet controller and water tank valve” were not working as intended, potentially complicating conditions during the 10-day mission.
Crew remains calm
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the malfunction during a press briefing, describing it as a manageable issue.
“We’re just getting started!” he said, calling the setback “normal” for a mission of this scale.
He added that the astronauts were “safe, they’re secure and in great spirits” despite the early disruption.
Minor disruptions
The toilet issue was not the only hiccup during the launch phase.
Mission Control also briefly lost communication with the spacecraft during a satellite handover, though the link was quickly restored after ground systems were reset.
Despite these challenges, the mission continued as planned.
Journey ahead
The 322-foot rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral carrying four astronauts, who are expected to spend around 10 days in a capsule roughly the size of a small camper van.
After reaching orbit, the crew began circling Earth before heading toward the Moon.
Commander Reid Wiseman described the moment shortly after launch, saying: “We have a beautiful moonrise, we’re headed right at it.”
A historic return
The mission marks NASA’s first crewed journey toward the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
More than 700,000 gallons of fuel were loaded ahead of launch, following earlier delays caused by technical issues including hydrogen leaks.
NASA ultimately aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface again by 2028, ahead of planned missions by China.
Sources: Daily Star, NASA
