As part of its Artemis II mission, NASA is ready to launch astronauts to the moon for the first time in more than half a century as a key step in its lunar exploration program.
The mission transpired amidst enhanced competition due to the rise of China in the space realm as the US tries to reassert its dominance.
The three American and one Canadian astronaut will have a 10-day mission aboard the Orion spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System rocket.
The trip will circumnavigate the moon and go even deeper into deep space than any human mission since the Apollo era.
It will be the initial crewed mission of the Artemis program, which will put the human presence on the moon at a sustained level.
The initiative has already consumed an estimated $93 billion since 2012 and NASA is optimistic that it will send astronauts back to the lunar surface by 2028 with a planned target to reach the south pole of the moon.
The most recent occasion when humans had the chance to walk on the Moon was in Apollo 17 in 1972 when the United States became the only nation to place humans on another heavenly body.
This period was motivated by rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union. The focus currently is on China which has been proceeding with a consistent stride in its own moon program and is going to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.
According to NASA officials and astronauts, exploration of the moon does not solely focus on the moon but also serves as a stepping stone to Mars and the broader search for signs of past life.
The mission will also test the collaborations with the private companies, and the foreign agencies because the Artemis program aims at establishing both the scientific and business avenues towards future lunar operations.
Also read: Elon Musk’s ally Jared Isaacman confirmed as new NASA chief
