The first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years is on its way after the successful launch of the Artemis II on Wednesday. The huge rocket and two solid fuel boosters launched from Kennedy Space Center at 6:35 p.m. Eastern with three NASA astronauts, Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch. Also on the spacecraft is Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist Col. Jeremy Hansen, who will be the first Canadian to leave orbit around Earth for the historic mission around the moon. After a day orbiting the Earth, during which the onboard toilet had to be repaired, the spacecraft fired its engines to speed out of orbit to head to the moon late Thursday.
The launch appeared to be flawless and within minutes the Integrity spacecraft was in orbit and getting prepared to head for the moon where it will slingshot around and use that energy to head back to Earth. The 10-day mission will take the four astronauts farther away from Earth than any have travelled before. The mission is an equipment shakedown in advance of Artemis III, which will test lunar landers in orbit in 2027. That will be a dress rehearsal for a crewed landing on the moon set for 2028. The last time humans set foot on the moon was in the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. A livestream from the spacecraft is here.
Leaving this planet – even if just for a short tour around the moon – sounds like a spledid idea! Thanks, NASA!
I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, as an aerospace enthusiast, I think it’s great to be able to see something like this being accomplished, especially since I wasn’t around for the last time we did something similar.
But on the other hand, they aren’t even going in to orbit around the moon, and my understanding is that this isn’t even the launch system that will be used for a moon landing, so it is accomplishing less than Apollo 8 did. This makes it primarily a PR stunt, though if it manages to drum up some excitement for human spaceflight, that isn’t a bad thing.
This is an entirely new rocket and space capsule system, so NASA is being extra cautious and moving in small steps. They can’t afford to learn by blowing things up as SpaceX does. Judging from the many thousands of people who showed up in Florida to view the launch, I’d say it has definitely stirred up some excitement.
Yes, but that was also true for Apollo 8.
But like I said, I am both excited to see this but also mildly disappointed in what little it will accomplish.
Don’t forget that Apollo 8 was not the final hardware used to land on the moon. They didn’t have a lunar module, they didn’t have the final software – and after going to the Moon with Apollo 8, the Apollo 9 mission never even left Earth orbit! Imagine everyone lamenting that as a step back and not the important milestone that it was. Especially since one of the Apollo 9 tests validated the use of the LM descent engine as alternate propulsion for the whole stack – which ended up being critical to Apollo 13’s safe return.
It is easy to get frustrated over the delays, the cost overruns, and the congressional meddling with the SLS. But it is possible to demand better in the future while still celebrating current successes! Real human beings put real heart, sweat, and tears into what is unfolding now. They didn’t set policy, they just did the best they could under the constraints they were given, Their hard work is worthy of celebration.
The Apollo program had 3 un-crewed Saturn V launches and 4 crewed launches before landing on the moon. You have to make sure all that super complicated, advanced hardware and software will work correctly.
I think we’ve all waited some time for this… Really cool and Godspeed.
This IS a really big deal… After the cancellation of the Space Shuttle Program, the United States was dependent on rides to and from the International Space Station in Russian spacecraft. Worse than that, we were purchasing Russian rocket engines for most of our satellite launches. A “wonderful” long term national security strategy. The United States is now solidly back in the space game with Space-X and NASA. Depending on how the Space-X IPO goes and how much partying Elon Musk does, it’s good to have NASA back!
Like most space enthusiasts of my age or older, I remember exactly where I was when Neil Armstrong spoke “Tranquility Base here… the Eagle has landed.” It still brings emotions to the surface. Thank you NASA… it’s about time we did something daring and great again!
Prayers for the astronauts, the mission(s), and our nation…
This. My dad packed us up and took us to his favorite restaurant, where they had a big TV (we only had a tiny one) on the wall, so we could all watch Neil Armstrong’s first steps. I will never forget it. I was unprepared for the strength of my emotions when I watched the Artemis II launch. Grateful to see it, glad we are going back. I look forward to seeing the next man and/or woman make footprints on the moon.
Like everyone in Mission Control I was holding my breath, afraid that something stupid (like their new toilet) would cause a scrub.
Christina and I are alums of the same university (if nearly 30 years apart) but I lasted exactly one morning in their 60’s-boot-camp Engineering School freshman orientation. At the lunch break I discovered the university had opened a brand-new Computer Science degree program. I changed majors, got a programming job the next day, and never looked back. It was 1969, and I desperately needed a college deferment …
Christina was quite a few years behind me so I never met her, but I’ve known and worked with high-achieving “Christinas” all my life. Hell, I even married one. I’m sure Robert would agree that such an arrangement requires a lot of self-confidence, -esteem, and -reliance of the spouse.
So I salute you sir, and hope that she comes safely home to you.
My guess is that there are redundancies for the new toilet in case of failure? Something on the order of taping a bag to the nether regions would probably suffice… 10 days is both a very short and a very long time, depending.
I hope this link works :
https://www.tiktok.com/@katiemccuistion/video/7623960213653032222
Stunning.
And that, in a nutshell, this is the difference between AvBrief and the AI-dependent other guys:
They posted a stock static image of the Artemis launch from the ground, with the faint hint of an airliner contrail in the background.
AvBrief gives us (thanks to vayuwings) a video of the launch from that airliner!
That ship is MOVING! Wow! What a sight for the pax on the airliner and what a thrill for the souls onboard Artemis/Integrity!