Artemis II: A crewed lunar flyby to test systems—with no landing
TL;DR
Artemis II will carry four astronauts on a lunar flyby, not a lander mission. The goal is to test life-support, thermal control, navigation, propulsion and other onboard systems aboard the Orion capsule and SLS rocket on a translunar, free-return trajectory, with lunar landing deferred to Artemis III (using SpaceX’s Starship HLS). The mission emphasizes crew safety and vehicle health first, may push the crew farther from Earth than any humans have gone, and mirrors Apollo-era testing before attempting a surface landing.
- Why NASA’s Artemis II mission won’t land on the moon CNN
- NASA to roll out 11 million-pound moon rocket in preparation for astronauts' launch NBC News
- NASA to roll out SLS rocket Saturday for Artemis II moon mission Spectrum News 13
- Nasa readies its most powerful rocket for round-the-moon flight The Guardian
- NASA Readies Boeing-Lockheed Spacecraft for Moon Race with China Bloomberg.com
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