NASA is about to send humans on a journey around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years!
The mission is called Artemis II, and it is a huge step in space exploration. The last time astronauts travelled toward the Moon was in 1972. Now, a brand-new team is preparing to go back.
The astronauts flying on Artemis II are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch from NASA, plus Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. Together, they will travel aboard NASA’s giant Space Launch System rocket, also known as SLS, with the Orion spacecraft sitting on top.
Their mission will last about 10 days, and during that time, they will travel around the Moon before heading back to Earth.
This mission is extra exciting because it will be the first time astronauts fly on the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft around the Moon. That means that Artemis II is like a test to make sure these powerful new space vehicles are ready for future missions.
Artemis II is not just about one trip, though. It is helping NASA prepare to send humans even deeper into space and eventually back to the lunar surface for longer visits, science experiments, and exploration.
More than half a century after the last Moon missions, humans are getting ready to head back toward our nearest neighbour in space.
Read more news for kids here
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.