NASA Launches Manned Mission Approaching the Moon for the First Time in Decades

SadaNews - The American space agency "NASA" launched four astronauts into space on Wednesday, marking the beginning of a historic journey that will bring them closer to the moon's surface than ever before in over 50 years.

The "Orion" capsule, built by "Lockheed Martin", mounted on Boeing's "Space Launch System" rocket, lifted off from the launch pad at 6:35 PM local time at the "Kennedy Space Center" in Florida.

The rocket system, taller than the Statue of Liberty, reached speeds of about 17,500 miles per hour as it propelled towards space, leaving a trail of fire and smoke behind before detaching from its used side boosters that provided additional thrust.

Inside the capsule, the astronauts appeared in their seats wearing bright orange space suits. About eight minutes into the flight, the rocket's main engines shut down as expected, and the capsule reached space.

NASA astronaut and mission commander Reed Wiseman said during the live broadcast: "We have a beautiful moonrise. We are heading straight towards it."

A Preliminary Mission for the Artemis Program

This mission serves as a critical hands-on training in space for the long-delayed "Space Launch System" rocket and the "Orion" capsule, representing the largest achievement to date in NASA's multi-year "Artemis" campaign, which aims to land humans on the moon as soon as possible by 2028.

The four-member crew is scheduled to travel farther into space than any humans in history.

The "Artemis" missions will attempt to replicate and even exceed the achievements made during the historic "Apollo" program, which sent Neil Armstrong and 11 other men to the moon's surface in the 1960s and 70s.

Wide Interest and Long-term Plans

Viewership events were organized across the country, including major space centers like Seattle, Houston, and Huntsville, Alabama, where the core stage of the "Space Launch System" rocket is manufactured. Hundreds of thousands watched the live broadcast of the mission.

Through the "Artemis" program, named after the legendary twin of "Apollo", NASA aims to maintain a long-term presence on the moon. Under former President Donald Trump's administration, agency director Jared Isaacman laid out a $30 billion decade-long plan to establish a base on the moon where astronauts can live and work.

Isaacman also made significant adjustments to the mission, including adding a test mission in 2027 that will send a crew to dock with one of the lunar landers being developed by Elon Musk's "SpaceX" and Jeff Bezos's "Blue Origin".

Isaacman said just minutes before launch: "We are sending them farther into space than any humans before them, 250,000 miles out." He added, "This will pave the way for future missions."

Flight Details and Space Maneuvers

About an hour before launch, the agency said it was addressing an issue with the rocket's battery but later announced the problem was resolved.

The crew will spend about four days traveling to the moon's orbit, where they will fly behind its far side, a site never visible from Earth. They are scheduled to execute a flyby near the moon's surface on April 6.

If the mission proceeds as planned, their path will bring them as close as about 4,112 miles (6,618 kilometers) from the moon at its closest point, where the celestial body will appear the size of a basketball in the extended robotic arm from the capsule's window.

Joining Wiseman, a 27-year Navy veteran and former head of NASA’s astronaut office, are Victor Glover, the mission pilot, and Christina Koch, the mission specialist who conducted the first all-female spacewalk.

Also participating is Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who will fly to space for the first time during this mission.

About three and a half hours after launch, Glover will guide the "Orion" spacecraft to approach part of the "Space Launch System" rocket while in orbit, showcasing its ability to close in on another spacecraft.

This same maneuver is likely to be used for docking with future lunar landers that will carry astronauts to the moon's surface.

On the second day of the mission, the "Orion" spacecraft will ignite its main engine, putting the crew on a course toward the moon.

Space Race and Risks of Delay

The United States is racing against time to return to the moon before China sends its astronauts there for the first time, a goal that Beijing has set by the end of the decade.

Several hardliners towards China in the United States, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, have regarded the "Artemis" program as a race for a strategic foothold in space, sometimes referred to as the "ultimate high ground" for war.

China has yet to send humans to the moon's surface, but it has achieved several milestones, including the only landings on the far side of the moon. It is also leading a project to build an international research station near the moon's south pole.

A Significant Step Toward Final Landing

The "Artemis 2" mission features several unprecedented achievements. Koch will be the first woman to fly near the moon, while Glover will be the first Black astronaut to do so. Hansen will become the first Canadian to travel to the moon.

This mission is only the second flight for the "Space Launch System" rocket, which has been delayed for many years. The rocket and the "Orion" capsule have faced various delays and cost overruns, resulting in a delay for the entire "Artemis" program.

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona expressed his support for Isaacman's new plans to build a base on the moon but also voiced some skepticism about NASA’s ability to land on the moon by 2028.

Kelly told reporters before the crew members boarded the capsule: "It will be tough." He added: "I don't think it's out of the question."

After the NASA crew orbits the moon, gravity will bring them back to Earth. On the tenth day of the mission, the capsule will enter the planet's atmosphere, then land using parachutes in the Pacific Ocean.

A recovery team and a NASA and U.S. Navy recovery ship will meet the capsule to retrieve the crew from the waters.