Humans have travelled to the Moon for the first time in 50 years - Artemis II mission launched

It's about preparing for a future human landing on the surface of the moon.

Details

The rocket launched from a spaceport in Florida and carried the Orion spacecraft with four astronauts into Earth's orbit.

The crew included three astronauts from the United States and one from Canada. They include the first woman and the first non-American to participate in a lunar mission of this type.

After checking all the systems, the crew is to go to the Moon, fly around it and return to Earth. The entire mission will last about 10 days.

This is the first manned launch of the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket designed to return humans to the Moon.

During the flight, astronauts will test the craft's systems, including manoeuvres and communications, which will be needed for future missions.

Why it's important

The Artemis II mission is a key milestone in the human return programme to the Moon.

Scientists and engineers note:

• it is the first step toward landing humans on the moon in the coming years
• the technology will be used for future missions
• the mission paves the way for the establishment of a permanent base on the Moon

The project is also seen as part of a global space competition.

Background

The last manned mission to the Moon took place in 1972 as part of the Apollo programme.

Since then, humans have not left Earth orbit.

The Artemis programme involves returning humans to the Moon and further preparing for missions to Mars.

The Artemis II mission is the first manned orbit of the Moon in more than 50 years. The flight involves four astronauts, and the mission itself is designed for about 10 days. The programme is implemented by NASA in preparation for the landing of humans on the Moon.

Source

The material is based on the report AFP published on the website Phys.org