Human mission to moon after 54 years: NASA launches Artemis-II mission, astronauts to orbit Moon for 10 days
NASA launches Artemis II, the first human lunar mission in 54 years, sending astronauts on a 10-day journey to orbit the Moon and test deep space technologies.
Florida (The Uttam Hindu): The NASA has marked a historic return to human lunar exploration after nearly 54 years by successfully launching its first crewed mission, Artemis II. The mission lifted off at 4:05 AM (IST) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission carries astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen. They were launched aboard the Space Launch System rocket.
This approximately 10-day mission will take the crew nearly 406,000 kilometers away from Earth, making it one of the longest human space journeys ever undertaken. Under Artemis-II, astronauts will travel close to the Moon, orbit it, and return safely to Earth without landing on the lunar surface.
The mission is primarily a test flight designed to evaluate technologies and capabilities required for future lunar landings. According to NASA, it is a crucial step toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon and eventually reaching Mars.
Beyond lunar orbit, the mission will also study the effects of deep space on the human body. The astronauts will travel beyond Earth’s magnetic field, exposing them to space radiation and extreme conditions. All physiological changes will be closely monitored to support future long-duration missions.
One of the key scientific experiments onboard is the “organ-on-a-chip” technology. In this experiment, cells derived from astronauts’ blood will be grown on microchips—one sent into space and another kept on Earth. After the mission, scientists will compare the two to study DNA damage, telomere length, and other biological indicators. This marks the first time such an experiment is being conducted beyond low Earth orbit.
The mission had faced multiple delays earlier. Initially planned for February 2026, it was postponed due to technical reasons, and later March launch windows were also missed. After extensive testing and preparation, the mission was finally launched successfully in April 2026.
Overall, Artemis-II represents a major milestone in space exploration and is expected to play a key role in humanity’s return to the Moon and future deep space missions.