U.S. to Attempt First Crewed Lunar Orbit in 54 Years as Early as Next Month

Preparations Begin for Artemis II Mission
Four Astronauts to Orbit the Moon for Ten Days

The United States will attempt the second phase of the 'Artemis' program, which aims to send astronauts to the Moon for the first time in about half a century, as early as early next month.

On January 16 (local time), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that the main rocket for the Artemis II (Phase 2) mission, the Space Launch System (SLS), would be moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Launch Pad 39B on January 17. The SLS launch vehicle, which weighs about 5,000 tons, is transported at a speed of approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) per hour, taking up to 12 hours to reach the launch pad.

SLS rocket launch vehicle preparing for Artemis Phase 2 mission. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

NASA explained that the launch window for Artemis II opens on February 6. Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II Launch Director, stated, "We will conduct a fueling test for the SLS rocket on February 2, and based on those results, we will decide whether to proceed with the launch on February 6." The available launch window in February runs from the 6th to the 11th. If the launch does not occur during this period, the schedule will be pushed to March 6-11 or April 1-6.

The Artemis II mission is a crewed flight in which four astronauts will orbit the Moon and return to Earth over approximately 10 days. This marks the first attempt by the United States to conduct a crewed mission in lunar orbit in about 54 years.

If Successful, Astronauts Will Attempt Lunar Landing Next Year

This mission is designed to test the performance and safety of the rocket and spacecraft ahead of Artemis III (Phase 3), which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, nearly half a century ago. If the Artemis II mission is completed as planned, the third phase, targeting a lunar landing by astronauts, is expected to be attempted in 2027 or 2028.

U.S. media have raised the possibility of delays for the Artemis II mission.

Aerospace outlet Space.com pointed out, "During the Artemis I mission, the SLS launch was delayed by more than six months due to issues such as fueling problems, hydrogen leaks, and ground infrastructure malfunctions." The outlet also noted that there is limited time to conduct inspections of the SLS and Orion spacecraft, as well as flight simulations.