Humans Return to Lunar Orbit This Wednesday, First Time in Over 50 Years
For the first time since 1972, human beings are embarking on a journey to the Moon.
On Wednesday, April 1st, four astronauts (three Americans, one Canadian) will strap into NASA's Orion capsule, perched atop the imposing Space Launch System rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida. They will commence a 10-day voyage that will literally take them further from Earth than any human has ever traveled. While a landing is not scheduled—not yet—they will orbit the Moon and return, a critical test flight signaling the inception of something far grander. This mission is known as Artemis II.
The last time humans walked on the lunar surface was in December 1972, when Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt explored the Taurus-Littrow valley. Since then, the Moon has remained the exclusive domain of robotic missions.
Artemis II will not immediately alter this situation, as no landing is planned, as mentioned. However, it represents the inaugural crewed test flight under NASA's ambitious Artemis program. This flagship project, with an estimated cost of $93 billion since 2012, aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2028, specifically targeting the rugged and scientifically valuable South Pole region.
The mission also carries significant strategic implications. China has been making discreet but consistent progress towards its own crewed lunar landing, with a target of 2030. The United States, the only nation to have ever sent humans to another world, is resolute in its determination not to concede this crucial territory.
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