Artemis 2 Heads Toward the Moon

The Integrity spacecraft (Project Orion) successfully launched with four astronauts from the U.S. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Artemis 2 mission is sending humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

During the mission, no landing on the Moon is planned. The spacecraft will approach the Earth's natural satellite in about six days, passing by at a distance of approximately 8,000 kilometers without entering orbit.

The entire flight is expected to last around 10 days, after which the crew will return to Earth.

Artemis 2 is a key component of the U.S. lunar program. During the mission, astronauts will test life support systems in deep space. Successful missions are prerequisites for the continuation of the program, which also includes a planned human landing on the Moon. The overall budget for the program is estimated to be around $93 billion.

The mission crew consists of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. During the flight, Orion will travel approximately 400,000 kilometers from Earth and will follow a free-return trajectory, ensuring return without additional maneuvers.