science
NASA's Artemis II Mission Completes Successful Crewed Journey to Moon and Back
The Artemis II mission involved four astronauts traveling 252,756 miles to the Moon and returning safely to Earth via splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The crew, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, conducted a test flight of the spacecraft and rocket. The mission marked the first human spaceflight on these systems since Apollo.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
The Artemis II mission launched four astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a 98-meter-tall rocket. This test flight represented the first time humans flew on both the rocket and the spacecraft.
During the ascent, the rocket's boosters and engines produced a deafening roar and a force that observers felt physically. Live video from inside the capsule showed the astronauts adapting to microgravity in a confined space comparable to a minibus.
The crew had no privacy and shared facilities, including a $23 million Universal Waste Management System that experienced plumbing issues, requiring contingency urine devices.
Moon After launch, the crew viewed Earth from space, with Victor Glover stating that the planet looked beautiful.
The spacecraft's main engine burn initiated a 250,000-mile journey to the Moon. En route, the astronauts broke Apollo 13's record for the furthest distance traveled from Earth by humans. The crew captured thousands of images and audio descriptions of the lunar surface during their close approach.
They named a visible crater on the Moon after Carroll, the late wife of commander Reid Wiseman, leading to an emotional moment among the team. Messages from Apollo astronauts Charlie Duke and Jim Lovell were played to the crew during the flight.
the Johnson Space Center in Houston, mission control monitored spacecraft systems including navigation and life support.
The team managed data streams to ensure the test flight's success, acknowledging inherent risks. Before launch, Jeremy Hansen discussed with his family the possibility of not returning, and Reid Wiseman had similar conversations with his daughters as a single father.
