The Artemis II

In this article, Melanie discusses the recent launch of the Artemis II, including its goals, procedures, and accomplishments.

The Artemis II

By: Melanie Campbell

NASA recently accomplished its first successful crewed lunar fly-by in over 50 years. A work of the space programs in Canada and the United States, this mission lasted approximately 10 days as the four astronauts circled the moon and returned aboard Orion’s spacecraft. The Artemis II is the second mission and the first crewed mission of the Artemis project. The crew consisted of Reid Wiseman, the commander; Victor Glover, the pilot; and Christia Koch and Jeremy Hansen, both mission specialists. The Artemis II took off on Apr. 1, 2026, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and reentered safely on Apr. 10, splashing down in the Pacific off the coast of San Diego, California.

Reid Wiseman, from Massachusetts, served as the commander of Artemis II. Wiseman is a Navy veteran, earning a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering, as stated by NASA. Pilot Victor Glover, from California, is the first African American to pilot a lunar mission. Glover is a Naval Aviator, as stated by NASA, holding three Master's degrees in Flight Test Engineering, Science in Systems Engineering, and Military Operational Art and Science, as well as a Bachelor's degree in General Engineering. Our next lunar voyager is Christina Koch from Michigan. With two Bachelor's degrees, in Physics and Electrical Engineering, as well as a Master's in Electrical Engineering, she served as the mission specialist and is the first woman to travel such a distance from Earth, according to NASA. Jeremy Hansen, a member of the Canadian Space Agency, is from Ontario and served as another mission specialist on this mission. He is the first Canadian astronaut to complete a lunar mission and holds a Bachelor's and a Master's of Science in physics, according to the Government of Canada.

Picture of Artemis crew. Image credits to NASA.

There were numerous goals for this mission. In it, NASA seeks to evaluate the performance of its spacecraft, monitor operations, practice mission-critical procedures, and participate in science activities that will benefit future lunar missions. NASA states that “Artemis II astronauts are putting the Orion through a series of planned tests to evaluate systems, procedures, and performance in deep space.” They also seek to observe the lunar surface from a closer perspective via observation of this mission-- because human eyes are far less sensitive to shifts in color, texture, and other surface characteristics. Artemis II tests the Orion spacecraft's ability to sustain astronaut life on longer missions.

Picture of Artemis launch. Image credits to NASA.

The spacecraft carrying the Artemis II crew is a capsule-shaped spacecraft that seats four astronauts. The Artemis II has many similarities to the United States’ first lunar missions, specifically Apollo 8. The key difference, according to the National Air and Space Museum, is that while Apollo orbited the moon, Artemis II did not. This Orion crew capsule further required a strong, heat-resistant shield because, according to The University of Queensland, a shock wave causes the spacecraft to be subjected to outside temperatures as high as 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit as they re-enter the atmosphere at the Orion’s maximum velocity of 23,864 mph.

The Artemis crew is the core of this accomplishment. They spent their time on this spacecraft continuing to fire the engine, refining their path to the moon, and testing their spacesuit once in the lunar sphere of influence. According to NASA, these orange suits protected the crew during launch and re-entry, as well as provided them with six days of livable atmosphere in case of an emergency. The crew recorded their observations as they circled the moon. On day seven, they reached 248,655 miles away from Earth, the furthest anyone has traveled from Earth. On their trajectory home, the crew assessed their ability to protect themselves from solar flares, tested waste collection systems, and demonstrated the spacecraft’s manual piloting capability. Throughout this mission, the crew engaged in space-to-ground video communication, answered questions, and conversed with both the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States.

Upon approaching Earth, the crew module separated from the service module, exposing the heat shield and allowing them to safely re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The Orion spacecraft then descended under parachutes before a splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California, at 8:07 p.m. Eastern time, where NASA and the U.S. Navy personnel were waiting for it. Many were relieved to hear that the Artemis crew safely returned home, as the fatal re-entry disaster of the Columbia Space Shuttle in 2003 had left the United States disheartened. This successful mission leads the way for future space expeditions in future generations.

Picture of splashdown taken by NASA member. Image credits to Yahoo News UK

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