NASA will send its first manned mission to the Moon in half a century (3 photos)

NASA announced that astronauts will embark on a 10-day journey around the Moon early next year. This will be the first crewed mission in half a century.





The Artemis II project will launch the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft. The SLS is described as a super-heavy rocket that will serve as the foundation for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

This is all part of a plan to prepare for future missions to the Moon and possible flights to Mars.



NASA Associate Deputy Administrator Lakisha Hawkins emphasized the importance of the mission at a conference on Tuesday, September 23.

"We will make history together," she said. "The launch window may open as early as February 5th, but safety remains our top priority."

According to Mission Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the SLS rocket is "largely complete and ready for launch." All that remains is to complete the Orion crew capsule assembly and conduct ground testing.



The crew includes NASA astronauts Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with their Canadian colleague Jeremy Hansen. They will not land on the Moon during their ten-day mission, but will be the first humans to go there since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Mission Director Jeff Radigan told reporters, "They'll travel at least 5,000 nautical miles (9,200 km) beyond the Moon, which is farther than previous missions have traveled."

"The Artemis II mission will be a unique flight, building on the uncrewed Artemis I test. It will demonstrate the capabilities of the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft for deep space travel. This mission will demonstrate that Orion's key life support systems are ready to support astronauts on long-duration missions. The crew will be able to practice the operations necessary for the success of Artemis III and future missions," the agency concluded.