Image source, Reuters
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The United States space agency NASA has launched the crewed spacecraft ‘Artemis 2’, sending it on a mission to orbit the Moon, ending a gap of more than fifty years since the last human mission.
The spacecraft was launched from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and is currently orbiting the Earth.
Officials stated that the spacecraft will remain in Earth orbit during the first 24 hours until all checkouts are completed. Once all necessary procedures are successfully concluded, it will be sent towards the Moon.
The mission’s crew includes American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Image source, NASA/PA WIRE
NASA officials have reported that the crew is safe, calm, and in high spirits.
Astronaut Reid Wiseman described seeing “stunning views” after launch, stating, “We witnessed an incredible lunar sunrise.”
Image source, Reuters
The astronauts are expected to spend nearly 10 days aboard the spacecraft, orbiting the Moon without landing on its surface.
In the 1960s and 1970s, humans walked on the Moon as part of the Apollo missions.
The Artemis 2 crew will practice operating and managing the ‘Orion’ spacecraft in preparation for a future lunar landing.
This mission will travel farther into space than any previous human mission, reaching approximately 4,600 miles beyond the far side of the Moon.
The astronauts will explore regions where no human has previously traveled before returning to Earth.
Mission expert Christina Koch noted that astronauts will conduct detailed studies on the lunar surface for up to three hours.
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