NASA confirms that it is ready to launch the Artemis 2 mission, which should send astronauts to the moon as early as April 1. According to official information, there are no technical problems that would jeopardize the planned start.
The launch is scheduled for 6:24 PM ET (11:24 PM ET), with a two-hour window. In case of postponement, additional opportunities are scheduled until April 6. The biggest potential risk right now is the weather, with about a 20% chance of unfavorable conditions.
The Artemis 2 mission takes astronauts around the Moon
The mission will use the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule, and astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen from Canada will embark on a ten-day journey around the moon.
NASAUnlike future missions, Artemis 2 will not enter orbit around the Moon, but will perform a so-called “slingshot” maneuver around its dark side and return to Earth. The goal is to test the manned system after the successful but unmanned Artemis 1 mission.
This mission represents a key step towards the next phases of the Artemis program. After that, the Artemis 3 mission is planned, which should include in-orbit docking testing, while the first new human landing missions to the Moon are expected in subsequent phases.
NASA emphasizes that all systems from the spacecraft to the teams on the ground are ready, and the final decision on the launch will be made by weather conditions at the last minute, reports Space.