The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to launch Artemis II on April 1. What promised to be the first manned mission to the moon in more than 50 years has been delayed by more than a month due to a series of technical glitches. However, the space agency now says that “all equipment is ready for launch.”
Laurie Glaze, a senior representative of NASA, assured at a press conference that everything is favorable for takeoff early next month. At the same time, he clarified that “this is a test flight and not without risks, but our team is ours equipment They are ready. Just keep in mind that we still have work to do.”
Artemis II will carry four astronauts to fly past the moon for the first time in 50 years, marking the return of humans to space and ushering in a new lunar era.
NASA said on March 12 that it successfully completed a flight readiness check, a technical process that officially certifies that the rocket, ground systems and crew are in good condition for the mission. In addition, the agency has scheduled for March 19 the transfer of the SLS rocket (Space Launch System) and the Orion spacecraft to platform 39B, the final point from which the mission will launch.
The first launch window is scheduled for April 1st. However, NASA experts believe that, Up to four additional takeoff opportunities may occur over the next six days.
What will be the mission of Artemis II?
The Artemis II mission will be commanded by American astronaut Reid Wiseman. The crew will be completed by astronauts, also Americans, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Jeremy Hansen.
NASA clarified that approximately eight minutes after liftoff, the Orion crew members will fly into space. The mission will then complete a flyby of Earth before leaving Earth’s orbit and heading for the Moon. The spacecraft is expected to pass between 6,450 and 9,650 kilometers above the surface of the Moon before returning to the planet and plunging into the ocean.
Although the first Artemis mission flew within about 128 kilometers of the moon, the space agency assured that Artemis II will go “tens of thousands of kilometers (tens of thousands of miles) further than any human in more than 50 years”.
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