40,000 km/h and crazy temperatures: this is why the return of Artemis II keeps the world in suspense

NASA provides two different YouTube channels to follow the launch and pre-launch phases. On this first connection it is possible to monitor the conditions of the carrier from the Kennedy Space Center

While from this channel it is possible to follow the phases of the Artemis II launch live

The crew, made up of professionals Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, will supervise delicate phases such as the translunar injection, scheduled approximately twenty-four hours after takeoff. One of the most relevant technical innovations of this mission concerns the test of the Optical Communications (O2O) laser communication system, designed to transmit high-resolution data and images with unprecedented speed compared to traditional radio systems.

During the flyby of the far side of the Moon, Orion will reach the furthest point from Earth ever touched by a vehicle designed for human transport, facing temporary radio silence due to interference from the lunar mass. This “free reentry” trajectory will exploit the gravitational balance between the two celestial bodies to direct the capsule towards the Earth’s atmosphere without the need for further major propulsion thrust.

The final phase of the mission, scheduled for April 10th with a landing in the Pacific Ocean, will represent the definitive test for the cutting-edge heat shield, which will have to dissipate temperatures of around 2,800 degrees Celsius generated by atmospheric friction at a speed of almost 40,000 km/h. Curiously, this mission sees for the first time the participation of a non-US astronaut, the Canadian Jeremy Hansen, demonstrating the international nature of the Artemis coalition. Enthusiasts and industry experts will be able to monitor each operational phase through the official NASA channels on YouTubewith live coverage beginning several hours before the engines fire to document boarding procedures and pre-flight checks.