Photo Credit: NASA

The Apollo 17 mission left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972, carrying the last humans to have walked on the moon. Over half a century later, Artemis II is now planned to take humanity back.

The mission comprises of four astronauts from Kennedy Space Center, tasked with performing a flyby of the Moon and returning to Earth. They will be the first crew to travel beyond Earth’s orbit since Apollo 17. The mission plans to test the Orion spacecraft, collect data on the crew’s performance in space, and determine the feasibility of long-term human habitation on the Moon. The Artemis program builds on the Apollo space program which aimed for Moon exploration and human sustainability in space. Apollo 17 was the last mission in its series, marking humanity’s final landing on the Moon until Artemis III, planned for September of 2026.
The intense 8-to-10-day flight will test the Orion spacecraft’s abilities for outer-orbit space exploration, and potential landings on other terrestrial bodies such as Mars. The Artemis program will emphasize long-term presence, building a foundation for astronauts to sustain lunar exploration for weeks to months. This differs from the Apollo missions such as Apollo 17, whose crew only stayed on the lunar surface for 3 days.

Technological advancements over the last 50 years are one reason prolonged lunar exploration has become a possibility. One such technological device is the Power and Propulsion Element spacecraft, which contains a multinational orbiting command module—in other words, a spaceship that can provide power and propulsion to support missions around the Moon.

Artemis II has a launch date set for September 2025. Launched by NASA’s new SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, the crew will travel in the Orion module around the Moon. After completing its flyby, they will return to Earth, providing information for future missions.

The following mission, Artemis III, will last 30 days and will include a manned landing on the Moon. Artemis II is a fascinating mission, designed to lay the foundation for further human exploration of the Moon. This mission is vital for the future of space exploration as it will provide valuable information about the history of the Moon and increase our knowledge of our own planet.

As Artemis II nears its launch, the dreams of people across the globe will travel with these astronauts as they embark on a quest to unravel more secrets hidden in the cosmos.