NASA Artemis Mission To Orbit Moon With Astronauts

NASA Artemis Mission To Orbit Moon With Astronauts

Why in the News ?

NASA is set to launch the Artemis II mission, sending astronauts around the Moon for the first time since 1972 Apollo missions, marking a major step toward future human lunar landing missions and deep space exploration, promoting a pollution free environment through sustainable space practices.

Artemis II Mission: Key Features and Objectives

• Artemis II will carry four astronauts on a 10-day mission around the Moon without landing.
• It will be the first human mission beyond low-Earth orbit since 1972 (Apollo era).
• The spacecraft will perform a lunar flyby, orbiting the Moon and returning safely to Earth.
• The mission aims to test and validate critical systems before future Moon landings, having obtained necessary environmental clearances for launch operations.
• It will use the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, both newly developed technologies complying with coastal regulation zone norms at launch sites.
• The mission will conclude with re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere and splashdown.

Mission Trajectory and Technical Aspects

• The spacecraft will first complete two orbits around Earth before heading toward the Moon.
• It will take around 3–4 days to reach the Moon’s vicinity.
• During the flyby, Orion will travel about 6,500 km beyond the Moon’s far side.
• This marks the farthest distance humans have ever travelled in space.
• Compared to Apollo missions, which stayed closer (~10 km from lunar surface), Artemis explores deeper space zones.
• Faster routes like Artemis require more powerful rockets, unlike slower, fuel-efficient missions like Chandrayaan-3.