CHENNAI: After more than 50 years since the Apollo moonshots, NASA has launched Artemis II, sending four astronauts around the Moon, marking humanity’s first lunar voyage and leadoff in NASA's push towards a landing in two years.
Carrying three Americans and one Canadian, the 32-story rocket rose from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre.
This is the first crewed lunar mission since the 1970's Apollo moonshots. A whole generation is witnessing a Moon mission for the first time.
The astronauts won’t pause for a stopover like Apollo.
Instead, they will fly around the Moon and return, testing systems for future landings.
This is a trial run mission, lasting about 10 days to ensure everything works before humans step on the Moon again.
The mission uses the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule. These are NASA’s most powerful and advanced systems yet.
Everything depends on Artemis II’s success. If it works, humans return to the Moon (Artemis III & IV) no sooner than 2029.
It will use a free return, lunar fly-by trajectory to get home with gravity's tug and a minimum of gas.
Unlike Apollo’s short visits, Artemis aims to build a long-term lunar base and send robots, rovers, and astronauts regularly.
The Moon is just the beginning. NASA sees it as a testing ground for Mars missions, the ultimate goal.
The mission is also strategic. The US wants to return to the Moon before China sends its astronauts later this decade.
Past fuel leaks delayed launch, new systems being tested for the first time and risk level is significant. But success could redefine human space exploration for decades.