Artemis II and Apollo 8: The 'ultimate test drive' for humanity’s return to the moon
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Artemis II and Apollo 8: The 'ultimate test drive' for humanity’s return to the moon")
NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft Photograph: (AFP)
Apollo 8 and Artemis II are similar missions in many ways. Humans are trying to reach the moon once again. The first human landing in nearly 60 years has been planned for 2028. But before that, Artemis II will undertake a crucial mission.
Artemis II will fly four astronauts to the moon for the first time in nearly 60 years, with the launch scheduled for April 1. The mission is being compared to the Apollo 8 mission that preceded Apollo 11, which ultimately landed the first humans on the lunar surface. Astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders were the first to fly this far from Earth, from where they could not see their home planet. It was the first human space mission to break free from Earth’s gravitational pull and the first to carry astronauts to the Moon. This is what will happen with Artemis II as well. The mission will take astronauts to the moon on a short voyage, similar to Apollo 8. They will circle the moon and return to Earth, setting the stage for a future landing. Here is what you should know about Artemis II and how it compares with Apollo 8.
Artemis II launch date
The Artemis II moon mission is currently slated to take off on April 1. It was previously scheduled for a February 6 launch, but fuel leakage issues led the launch to be moved forward. The April Fool's Day launch has become the talk of the town, a day that will once again change humanity's relationship with the universe.
Artemis II astronauts
Three NASA and one Canadian astronaut will board the Orion capsule and take off on a 10-day mission. The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman (mission commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch (mission specialist) and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist), who will fly to space for the first time.
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Also Read: NASA picks April 1 as Artemis 2 launch date, and everyone is wondering, 'Why April Fool's...?'
Apollo 8 mission and Artemis II comparison
Apollo 8 was the first time humans ever left Earth's gravity and the first to reach the Moon. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders were the three astronauts aboard the Saturn V rocket. They reached the Moon in 68 hours and orbited the Moon ten times over 20 hours. They also travelled to the far side of the Moon and were fortunate to see an Earthrise. They also held a television broadcast on Christmas. What Apollo 8 did for Apollo 11, Artemis II will do for the Artemis IV mission. Astronauts will go to the moon and hover over it, scanning and photographing it. They will go nearly 9,000 kilometres beyond the far side of the moon, which will let them see such portions that even the Apollo 8 crew did not witness. This will mark the farthest humans have ever travelled from our home planet.
Both missions are similar in the sense that they precede planned human landings to the moon. Apollo 8 was the first mission to take humans to the moon before the main mission. Artemis 2 is also the first mission to take humans to the moon before a landing occurs in 2028.
