South Korean media: Humans return to the moon 53 years later ... NASA's probe ship will be launched in early February

¬ Conducting various experiments in the most distant universe never before set foot on, creating records of the first African-American astronaut and female astronaut to fly to the moon

According to BBC reports, NASA plans to launch a crewed spacecraft for lunar exploration as early as the first week of February. This is the first time the United States has launched a crewed lunar landing spacecraft in 50 years. It is also the first time humans have flown to the moon since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s.

The earliest date for launching the crewed lunar spacecraft is February 6th

According to foreign media, NASA plans to launch the lunar mission "Artemis II" spacecraft as early as the first week of February. The scheduled launch dates are one of February 6, 7, 8, 10, or 11. In addition, launch dates have also been scheduled for March and April to cope with possible failures or delays.

NASA plans to start moving the "Space Launch System" (SLS) and "Orion" spacecraft from the assembly building to the launch pad as early as the 17th. The transportation work is carried out by a special transport equipment called crawler-transporter-2. Because the movement requires extra care, the 4-mile (about 6.4 kilometers) distance may take up to 12 hours.

In late January, a WDR (Wet Dress Rehearsal) will also be conducted. Just as a play needs a full-scale rehearsal of lights, costumes, and sound before its final performance, a rocket also needs a real-time rehearsal of the final countdown process before its final launch. This includes the fueling test before launch. The South Korean World Cup rocket, which finally succeeded after four launches in late November 2025, also conducted a WDR rehearsal two months before its launch.

If problems occur during the WDR process, NASA may need to return the SLS and Orion spacecraft to the assembly building for repairs and then prepare for another launch. If the system operates smoothly, the launch could potentially take place as early as February 6. However, there are still many variables because the rocket's launch direction must align with the moon's position.

Four astronauts flying to the moon after 50 years

A total of four astronauts will be on the "Artemis II" mission. They are Commander Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover and Christina Koch from NASA, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

If they complete their mission successfully, Victor Glover will become the first African-American astronaut to fly to the moon, and Christina Koch will become the first woman to be recorded in history. Jeremy Hansen will also become the first Canadian and non-American astronaut to fly to the moon.

The mission duration is 10 days. During this mission, they will go to the farthest space that humans have never stepped into. Their task is to collect various data and images in deep space (deep space) around the moon and transmit them back to Earth. During the mission, the astronauts will live in a small cabin under zero gravity conditions, and then land in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of the United States and return to Earth after 10 days.

In December 1972, Apollo 17 landed on the moon for the last human crewed lunar mission. According to NASA, so far, a total of 24 astronauts have traveled to the moon, of whom 12 have personally stepped on the moon's surface.

The next mission after landing on the moon ... going to the moon's south pole

The Artemis II project is not expected to land on the moon's surface. The "Artemis III" is planned to be launched around 2028 and will attempt to land on the moon.

It is reported that NASA has not yet finalized the landing craft to send astronauts to the lunar surface. The landing craft will be either SpaceX's Starship landing craft or Blue Origin's design by Jeff Bezos. The new space suit will be manufactured by the American company Axiom.

The goal of Artemis III is to reach the moon's south pole. Humans have never set foot there. Artemis III also aims to achieve "sustained human presence on the moon."

NASA plans to build a small space station orbiting the moon through the "Artemis IV" and "V" projects, allowing more countries and more diverse personnel to participate.

Will other countries also send astronauts to the moon?

Other countries are also planning to send astronauts to the moon around 2030. China plans to independently develop a spacecraft and land on the moon's south pole by the end of 2030, striving toward this goal.

Russia has also claimed it will launch a spacecraft to the moon and build a small base between 2030 and 2035.

India has set a goal of sending its own astronauts to walk on the moon. After the Moon Mission 3 (Chandrayaan-3) landed near the moon's south pole in August 2023, India's space agency has set a target of conducting manned exploration of the moon around 2040.

Other countries have also expressed interest in participating in the United States' Artemis mission. Japan has already booked one spot each for Artemis IV and V.

Sources: Chosun Ilbo

Original: toutiao.com/article/1854483607366668/

Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author himself.