After more than half a century, humans are preparing to return to the Moon.
NASA’s Artemis II mission is expected to send four astronauts on a roughly 10-day journey around the Moon and back—marking the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo program.
“It’s the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo era,” said Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History, in an interview with Radio Catskill.
A New Era of Space Exploration
Faherty said the Artemis program represents a shift not just in technology, but in who space exploration is for.
“This is a celebration of opening the door for everyone to do space exploration,” she said.
The Artemis missions are named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology—a symbolic contrast to the earlier program, which sent only men to the Moon.
Why Return to the Moon Now?
The last human mission to the Moon took place in 1972. After that, NASA focused on lower-Earth orbit missions, including the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.
Now, attention is turning back to deep space.
Faherty said renewed interest is driven in part by global competition.
“China is now really making their push to establish a human presence on the moon,” she said, adding that the U.S. is “extra motivated to move in that direction again.”
A Mission Focused on Testing
Unlike future Artemis missions, Artemis II will not land on the Moon. Instead, it will test the systems needed to safely send humans deeper into space.
“They’re testing technology… and how they fare in this new capsule and this new rocket,” Faherty said.
The mission will use NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket—marking the first time astronauts will fly aboard it.
“It’s a technology test,” she said. “They’re just going to be testing all of the functionality.”
Advanced Technology—But Same Challenges
While modern spacecraft are far more advanced than those used during Apollo, Faherty said the core challenges remain.
“The physics is all the same,” she said. “You’re still dealing with the gravitational force of the Earth and the moon.”
She emphasized that experience—not just technology—is critical.
“You get good at landing on the moon when you land on the moon,” she said.
Representation Matters
Artemis II will feature a more diverse crew than past missions, including a woman and an international astronaut.
Faherty said that visibility can have a lasting impact.
“Representation ends up inviting more people… inspiring more people to feel like they can do this tremendous thing,” she said.
Traveling Farther Than Ever Before
The mission will take astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have gone before.
At certain points, the spacecraft will pass behind the Moon—cutting off communication with Earth entirely.
“They will be farther away from humanity… than anyone else has ever been before,” Faherty said.
Looking Ahead
If successful, Artemis II will pave the way for future missions, including Artemis III, which aims to land humans on the Moon again.
For now, officials remain cautiously optimistic ahead of launch.
“Rocket launches can be notoriously delayed,” Faherty noted.
Still, the mission marks a major step forward—bringing humans closer to the Moon, and opening the door to a new era of exploration.
Image Credit: NASA/Jessica Meir