Jakarta, ThedailyID — Artemis II will take astronauts about 460,000 kilometers from Earth. The mission will set a new record for the farthest human spaceflight.
NASA plans to launch the mission as part of its Artemis program. The program aims to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars.
Unlike earlier missions, Artemis II will carry a crew around the Moon without landing. The spacecraft will pass the Moon’s far side and travel deeper into space before returning to Earth.
“This mission will push the boundaries of human exploration farther than ever before,” said Bill Nelson.
This trajectory will break the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970, which reached about 400,000 kilometers from Earth.
NASA will use the Orion spacecraft for the mission. Engineers designed Orion to support long-duration flights in deep space. The agency will launch it using the Space Launch System rocket.
The mission will last around 10 days. During that time, astronauts will test navigation, communication, and life-support systems.
“Artemis II is a critical step toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon,” said Jim Free.
NASA has named four astronauts for the mission. The crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
In addition, Artemis II will validate systems needed for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon later this decade.
The flight will also test how humans operate in deep space for extended periods. Scientists will monitor crew health and system performance throughout the mission.
Overall, Artemis II marks a major step in modern space exploration. It will push human travel farther than ever before and support future missions beyond the Moon.
