NASA Artemis moon mission could launch from Florida in 1 month. What to know

Four astronauts are on the verge of becoming the first humans to venture close to the moon in more than half a century since NASA’s iconic Apollo era ended.

Back in February, the crew of the Artemis 2 mission will board the Orion capsule aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket in Florida for a 10-day trip around the moon.

The mission does not yet include plans to land on the moon. Instead, the four astronauts will undertake a cosmic journey that will lay the groundwork for future astronauts to set foot on the lunar surface in the coming years.

Why has NASA seen renewed interest in the moon since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to reach the lunar surface? It’s all part of a larger plan to reach Mars by establishing a permanent human presence on the moon.

Here’s everything you need to know about Artemis 2 and how the mission fits into NASA’s larger goals of space exploration.

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What is NASA’s Artemis mission?

NASA’s Artemis program is the agency’s ambitious plan to return Americans to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.

Over the next few years, NASA’s Artemis program aims to launch a series of crewed missions to establish human settlements at the lunar south pole and establish a sustained human presence on the moon. There the region’s abundant water ice could be extracted and used for drinking, breathing and as a source of hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel.

Why does NASA want to go to the moon?

Ultimately, Artemis reflects NASA’s moon-to-Mars approach to sending the first humans to the red planet.

The lunar settlement – which includes plans to build a nuclear reactor – would serve as a base of operations, enabling further manned space missions, including a trip to Mars.

When was the last time Americans landed on the moon?

The last American astronaut landed on the moon on December 19, 1972, during NASA’s Apollo 17 mission. All told, NASA astronauts have landed on the moon on six separate Apollo missions, starting with Apollo 11 in 1969.

What is Artemis 2? The Orion capsule will carry four astronauts around the moon

The Artemis 2 crew will undertake a 10-day trip around the moon.

The Orion capsule (built by Lockheed Martin) that the astronauts will pilot will fly about 4,700 miles past the far side of the moon before returning to Earth. According to NASA, from this vantage point, astronauts should be able to see the Earth and Moon from the capsule’s windows — with our planet nearly 250,000 miles away.

The planned trajectory for the four-day return journey will use Earth’s gravity to naturally pull Orion back to Earth after a flyby of the moon, eliminating the need for propulsion or large amounts of fuel.

When will Artemis 2 be launched?

NASA’s Artemis 2 mission could launch as early as February 6 and as late as April.

The mission comes more than three years after Artemis 1 launched from Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022, and in its first test, the Orion capsule flew around the moon without a crew.

Who are the Artemis 2 astronauts?

Here are the four crew members of Artemis 2:

• NASA astronaut Victor GloverThe pilot from Pomona, California, flew into space on a SpaceX mission to the space station in 2020.

• Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy HansonAnother mission specialist will fly into space for the first time.

Koch and Glover represent the first woman and first African American, respectively, to be sent on a NASA moon mission. In addition, according to Reuters, Hansen will become the first Canadian to approach the moon.

When did the moon landing happen?

While Artemis 2 astronauts will not land on the moon, the mission plays a vital role in testing spacecraft systems and hardware needed for future expeditions to the lunar surface.

The first of these missions may come before 2027, with the more ambitious Artemis 3 mission, which will return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than half a century.

Where will the Artemis mission launch in Florida?

Both the Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 missions will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center along Florida’s Space Coast near Cape Canaveral. The astronauts themselves will board the Orion capsule at Launch Complex 39B and exit the Earth’s atmosphere aboard a NASA Space Launch System rocket built by Boeing and Northrop Grumman.

Artemis 2 will be the first manned flight of the giant 322-foot-tall SLS rocket and Orion capsule.

Contributing: Brooke Edwards, Florida Today; Reuters

Eric Lagatta is Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared in Florida Today: NASA’s key crewed moon mission could launch in Florida in February