What today’s rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Center lacks in pop-diva star power it more than makes up for in ambition: the first crewed return mission to the moon in over half a century is sending four astronauts (quite literally) out of this world. Below, find absolutely everything you need to know about NASA’s Artemis II mission.
Who is aboard Artemis II?
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch—as well as Jeremy Hansen, from the Canadian Space Agency—will take off from the Kennedy Space Center at 6:24 p.m. Eastern time. Once the mission is completed, Koch will become the first woman in history to orbit the moon and Glover, the mission’s pilot, will become the first Black man to make the journey.
What is the goal of the Artemis II mission?
Per NASA, the goal of the Artemis II launch is “to verify modern human capabilities in deep space and pave the way for long-term exploration and science on the lunar surface.”
How long will the Artemis II mission be?
The four astronauts’ journey—orbiting the moon and returning to Earth—will total 10 days.
What are the Artemis II astronauts wearing to orbit the moon?
The suits the astronauts will wear aboard Artemis II are officially International Orange (the exact color of the Golden Gate Bridge) and feature what the New York Times has described as “reflective, sky-blue accent stripes that form a heroic V at the torso and circle the thighs and the upper arms, where they emphasize the armadillo-like articulation of the shoulders.” Chic!
What’s the most unusual object onboard Artemis II?
That would have to be RISE, a baseball-cap-wearing plushie designed by eight-year-old Lucas Ye, who told the California Post of his contest-winning design: “I like space, I like rockets, I like NASA, I like the solar system. I like studying about space.”
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