NASA Artemis II Launches Successfully, Sending Four Astronauts on Journey Around the Moon
Historic Mission Returns Humans to Lunar Orbit for the First Time Since Apollo
NASA Artemis II mission launched successfully from Kennedy Space Center, sending four astronauts on a four-day journey around the Moon. The Orion spacecraft executed its trans-lunar injection burn with Commander Reid Wiseman delivering the memorable line: With this burn to the moon, we do not leave Earth, we choose it.
Crew and Mission
Artemis II carries Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen (the first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit). The crew is now on course for a lunar flyby expected within four days.
Key Moments
- Successful liftoff from Kennedy Space Center witnessed by crowds including a Southwest Airlines passenger who got a front-row view from their flight
- Orion spacecraft on trans-lunar trajectory
- Crew captured stunning photos of Earth from space
- Commander Wiseman encountered a relatable tech issue: Microsoft Outlook not working on his Surface Pro
- Mission Control remotely fixed the Outlook issue by reloading files
Significance
This mission marks the first time humans have traveled to lunar orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. It serves as a critical test of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System before the Artemis III mission that aims to land humans on the lunar surface.
Tech Details
The crew is equipped with iPhones, tablets, and laptops for reviewing procedures and entertainment. Despite the mission space computers not running Windows, personal devices include Microsoft Surface Pros. The Outlook glitch and its fix demonstrated that even in deep space, IT support remains a universal experience.
Source: The Verge / NASA https://www.theverge.com/science