For the first time in more than half a century, astronauts have again travelled to the moon and returned safely to Earth. The crew of NASA's Artemis II mission, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, landed on 10 April at 17:07 local time in the Pacific Ocean, near San Diego. During their mission, the astronauts reached a record distance of some 406,771 kilometres from Earth. During their journey, they covered a total of 694,481 miles, which is a new record.
Artemis II was launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on 1 April. An SLS rocket with a thrust of 8.8 million pounds, or about 39.1 meganewtons, lifted the Orion capsule into orbit. In the process, four CubeSats from international partners were put into orbit.
On the second day of the space journey, the Orion capsule took the crew into an orbit that took them 4,067 miles above the lunar surface. During this so-called 'flyby' of the moon, the astronauts performed various tests. These included manually piloting the spacecraft and evaluating life support systems. NASA plans to use this data for future missions, including the Artemis III mission in which astronauts land on the moon.
Scientific research
During the Artemis II mission, astronauts collected all kinds of data, including as part of the AVATAR study on how human tissue responds to microgravity and radiation in deep space.
In addition, the surface of the moon was captured by the astronauts in over 7,000 photographs. These included a solar eclipse, lunar landscapes and earth rises. The images can be used in preparing for future landings.
European contribution
Artemis II also had an important European contribution. For instance, a European Service Module (ESM) provided Orion with power, propulsion and life support.
In addition, European engineers and medical specialists monitored the mission 24 hours a day from ESA centres in both the Netherlands and Germany and from the Mission Control Centre in the US city of Houston. They analysed data and assessed risks for the safety of the crew and the spacecraft.
In the Netherlands, engineers monitored Orion's telemetry in the so-called Eagle Room at ESA's ESTEC technical centre. At the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, they deployed the EveryWear app, a secure medical tracking system that has been used on the ISS for years. This app allows astronauts to monitor their health and communicate securely with flight doctors.
Artemis III
NASA plans to use the data and insights gathered during Artemis II in preparing for Artemis III. During this new lunar mission, scheduled for 2028, astronauts will set foot on the moon again for the first time since 1972. The goal of Artemis III is to establish a permanent base on the moon.
Incidentally, the Americans are not the only ones aiming for a permanent lunar base. China also wants to send a manned mission to the moon, scheduled for 2030. In the long term, the country aims to establish a permanent presence on the moon and build a lunar base.
Image: NASA
