Artemis II Takes Flight
The Artemis II mission is the first manned mission to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. It is a 10-day test lunar flyby, meaning it will orbit around the moon. However, Artemis II differs from the Apollo missions as its goal is to establish a permanent NASA base on the moon and encourage human presence on Mars. The mission began on April 1st, 2026, and is projected to end on the 10th of the same month. Artemis II will be at a further distance from the moon than the Apollo missions, showcasing a fuller picture of the moon than what was previously available. John Honeycutt, who manages the Space Launch Program directed by NASA, remarked that some features of the moon have never been seen by human eyes before.
However, the Artemis program itself dates back to 2017, with Artemis I being an unmanned flight. More Artemis missions are set for the next few years, including a moon landing in 2028. The project marks several milestones, including being the first manned lunar mission in over 50 years, with a crew including the first woman and non-US citizen to travel near the moon, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen.The astronauts were trained in various different fields, including geology to be able to describe lunar features, photography, and videography to document their journey. The documentation includes photographs taken by phones that the crew has taken with them. NASA has provided an online tracker through a website and an app with live updates for the mission.
Although some issues arose, including longstanding waste issues that are common to manned missions and a burning smell reported by crew members. With the chaos unfolding in the world and our region, the mission serves as a kind reminder of human resilience and hope in unforeseen circumstances. The astronauts have reported instances of awe from seeing Earth from a distance, an experience so uncommon that only a few hundred people have experienced it in human history. Pilot Victor Glover stated, "...Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we're doing is special." But we're the same distance from you, and I'm trying to tell you, just trust me, you are special in all of this emptiness. This is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe, the cosmos… You have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist (on) together […] Thinking about all the cultures all around the world […] whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that…we've got to get through this together.”
- Maryam Emad