A Lunar Program Reignited: The Launch of Artemis II
On April 1 at 6:35 PM EDT (6:35 AM, April 2 Philippine Time), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched its long-anticipated Artemis II rocket, sending humans to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. For the next ten days, the crew will spend their time in space, conducting experiments and studying the moon on their flyby. The mission began at the famous Kennedy Space Center, more commonly referred to as Cape Canaveral, on the eastern coast of Florida, where most American space launches have occurred.
Powering the mission is Artemis II’s rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1, which is designed to bring Orion and other cargo 384,000 kilometers to the moon. To achieve this, 60% of its 2.9 million kilograms in weight is allotted for fuel, with efficiency further improved by disconnecting extra engines and spent fuel tanks mid-flight.
Artemis II will have a special destination: the far side of the Moon, which is hidden because the Moon is tidally locked, with only one side facing Earth at all times. Onboard, the crew will be traveling in Orion, the capsule located at the top of the rocket. Orion is mainly composed of two parts: the crew module, where the four crewmates will live for the duration of the mission, and the service module, provided by the European Space Agency (ESA), which is an unmanned section that provides electrical power, propulsion, water, and oxygen.
In addition to its main objectives, Artemis II also carries four Cube Satellites (CubeSats) from Germany, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina, which are roughly the size of a cereal box. Each CubeSat studies different aspects of space, such as the Earth’s atmosphere or space radiation.
Artemis II’s immediate goal is to test Orion’s systems with humans on board and to study the Moon; however, the long-term goal is to kickstart preparations for building a permanent lunar base and space station similar to the International Space Station (ISS). The next mission, Artemis III, is scheduled for no later than 2028 and will attempt landing at the Moon’s south pole—a location chosen for its potential resources. Scientific studies indicate that this region of the Moon contains not only important volatiles, such as methane and carbon dioxide, but also traces of water in the lunar soil, all of which are vital for supporting a permanent settlement.
Sources:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/meet-nasas-orion-spacecraft/#section-1
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/orion-spacecraft/european-service-module/
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis-ii-science/
https://www.dw.com/en/nasas-artemis-ii-moon-rocket-back-to-the-hangar/a-76090621