NASA is preparing to launch a human spacecraft to the Moon

During the mission, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will take the Orion spacecraft and its crew off from the launch pad of Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The crew included Reid Wiseman (NASA), Victor Glover (NASA), Christina Koch (NASA) and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency CSA). These four astronauts arrived at the Kennedy Space Center on March 27 and are quarantining, ready for launch.

NASA announced yesterday that the Artemis 2 mission is still on schedule. The agency emphasized that both the launch vehicle and the team are ready for flight, and current conditions do not indicate any major technical concerns. NASA also analyzed two factors that could hinder tomorrow’s launch the most: weather in space and on the ground.

On March 30, the Sun created a strong X1.4 level flare accompanied by a coronal eruption, causing the Space Weather Prediction Center of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to issue a G2 geomagnetic storm warning for March 31, and G1 level for April 1 and April 2.

Phenomena such as solar flares can interfere with radio communications, navigation systems and spacecraft operations, and expose astronauts to harmful radiation. But according to Mark Berger, launch weather specialist for Artemis 2, the solar flare is not expected to affect the flight.

This makes Earth’s weather a more pressing concern. NASA’s latest forecast shows an 80% chance of favorable weather. Burger said it may rain on launch day but should not have a significant impact. “Everything seems pretty good,” he said.

The Artemis 2 flight, which lasted about 10 days, was designed as a stepping stone to the Artemis program, which would test Orion’s life support system with astronauts in space for the first time. The crew will not land but circle the far side of the Moon in a free return orbit. This orbit helps them easily return to Earth without having to fire the ship’s engine many times.

“I often look up at the Moon, thinking about Artemis 2 and the upcoming missions,” said Jeff Spaulding, Senior Test Manager for the Artemis 2 program. He added: “Part of the reason I’m still here is to continue sending humans into space, getting us back into ‘launch mode’ to continue exploration, establish a base on the Moon, and then aim for Mars.”

Artemis 2 is the first manned mission in NASA’s Artemis program. In addition, this is also the first human mission to the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission 54 years ago. The mission took place in December 1972 with a crew of Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt and Ronald Evans. When he left, Cernan left footprints on the lunar surface, marking an ambitious era of space exploration that has yet to be repeated.

The race to send people to the Moon

Both the US and China are working towards the goal of sending people to the Moon within this decade. China committed to sending astronauts to land on the Moon by 2030 and the country usually sticks to the schedule. Just a few years ago, such a scenario seemed impossible. But for now, it is likely that China will be ahead of the US in a race where the US usually leads.

While China has made great strides, the Artemis program continues to encounter obstacles and delay progress. The Artemis 1 unmanned mission took place in November 2022, after a series of launch delays and two failed launches. In February this year, NASA also had to postpone the Artemis 2 launch date to April after encountering problems during the fuel loading rehearsal, a key test before launch. Artemis 2 is the first manned mission in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon.

If no major problems arise during Artemis 2, NASA will test the Orion and lunar landers on the Artemis 3 mission in Earth orbit next year. The agency aims to carry out the program’s first lunar landing in 2028 with the Artemis 4 mission. By the 2030s, NASA expects to begin developing settlements, autonomous robots and cargo landing stations, aiming to establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface.