this artemis A second mission to the moon is about to launch, sending four astronauts farther into space than humanity has ever ventured before.
as second mission NASA’s It’s a multibillion-dollar lunar program that will send three Americans and one Canadian on a 10-day expedition around the moon. Although the astronauts will not land, the mission is a crucial test flight that will lay the foundation for human landings on the lunar surface within the next two years.
During their journey, artemis According to USA Today, astronaut No. 2 will make history by traveling approximately 250,000 miles in space, surpassing the distance reached by the record-breaking Apollo 13 mission, and witnessing views of the far side of the moon that have never been seen by the human eye.
All signs are that the mission is on track as NASA will begin loading hundreds of thousands of gallons of supercooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the massive rocket that will launch the lunar expedition from Florida.
When will Artemis 2 be launched? Key details about time and date
NASA aims to launch its artemis The second mission took place on Wednesday, April 1, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Orion capsule, which will carry astronauts to the moon, will lift off aboard NASA’s 322-foot Space Launch System rocket during a two-hour launch window starting at 6:24 p.m. ET.
According to NASA, there is an 80% chance that weather conditions will be suitable for launch. In the event of severe weather or any other complications – e.g. unexpected problems spacecraft-To prevent liftoff, NASA has alternative launch dates available, from April 2 to April 6, as well as April 30.
How to watch NASA’s coverage of the Artemis II mission
NASA will have full coverage on April 1 of preparations for Artemis 2, culminating in the launch of the impressive Space Launch System rocket from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center.
The live broadcast will be open all day Amazon Prime (NASA’s YouTube channel) and NASA+ (the agency’s free streaming service).
NASA+ will also provide follow-up coverage during key mission milestones, such as the lunar flyby attempt and its return to Earth, including landing.
Everything we know about the crew
this artemis Four astronauts were selected for Mission II, including the first woman, mission specialist Christina Koch, the first black man, pilot Victor Glover, and Canadian mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, who will all make the journey near the moon.
NASA astronaut Reed Wiseman is commanding the mission.
All four astronauts arrived in Florida on March 27, where they are currently undergoing standard pre-flight quarantine to prevent contracting any illness.
