Artemis II, the mission that marks man's return to the Moon

For the first time since 1972, NASA is sending humans back to the Moon with the Artemis II mission. Unlike the previous mission (Artemis I), which was an uncrewed test flight, Artemis II will carry four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule for an approximately 10-day journey around the lunar surface. This will be the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon.

The primary objective of Artemis II is to validate, for the first time with a crew on board, that the Orion spacecraft is capable of sustaining astronauts' lives and safety in deep space. During the 10-day mission, the crew will manually test the navigation systems, high-speed laser communications, and, crucially, the functionality of life support (oxygen and temperature control) outside of Earth's protective environment.

If all these objectives are met, NASA will receive the final green light for Artemis III, the mission that will ultimately take humans (including the first woman) to the lunar South Pole in 2027.

Who are the crew members of Artemis II?
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, along with CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission in NASA's path to establishing a long-term presence on the Moon.

Reid Wiseman will command the Artemis II mission. Wiseman, who was selected as an astronaut in 2009, made his first spaceflight in May 2014 as a flight engineer to the International Space Station (ISS) on Expedition 41, where he spent 165 days and performed two spacewalks. Prior to his current assignment, Wiseman served as chief of the Astronaut Office from December 2020 to November 2022.

Victor Glover will make his second flight to space as the pilot of the Artemis II mission. He was the pilot and second-in-command for NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission, the first operational flight of the Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station (ISS), which landed on May 2, 2021, after 168 days in space. During the mission, Glover performed four spacewalks for station maintenance. As a flight engineer aboard the Space Station for Expedition 64, he contributed to scientific investigations and technology demonstrations and participated in four spacewalks.

Christina Hammock Koch will make her second flight to space on the Artemis II mission as a mission specialist. She was a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expeditions 59, 60, and 61 and set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 continuous days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) between 2019 and 2020. She participated in the first all-female spacewalks and will be the first woman to participate in a lunar mission.

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will make his first spaceflight as a mission specialist on Artemis II, becoming the first Canadian and the first person of a non-American nationality to travel to the vicinity of the Moon. He was one of two candidates selected by the CSA in May 2009 from Canada's third astronaut recruitment process and has served in many roles supporting human spaceflight. Hansen has worked as a Capcom at NASA's Mission Control Center at the Johnson Space Center and, in 2017, became the first Canadian to be tasked with leading a NASA astronaut class, heading the training of astronaut candidates from the United States and Canada.

Recommendation: Purchase tickets in advance and consult the complex's schedule and Event Calendar to stay informed about activities during your visit.

Fuente: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex