NASA Launches Historic Artemis II Mission to Send First Crew Around the Moon Since 1972

WCTU CLEVELAND 13 — The engines are scheduled to ignite today at Kennedy Space Center as NASA launches the Artemis II mission, marking the first time humans will return to the moon's vicinity in more than 50 years. This is not just a win for the Florida coast: It is a milestone with deep roots in Northeast Ohio. Engineers and scientists at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and the Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky were instrumental in testing the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module, ensuring the hardware could survive the extreme environments of deep space. According to NASA technical specifications, the Space Launch System (SLS) is currently the only rocket with the power to send the Orion capsule, its crew and necessary heavy supplies to the moon in a single launch.

The Block 1 configuration used for this mission generates roughly 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. This massive power comes from four RS-25 engines and two five-segment solid rocket boosters. While the subsequent Artemis III mission aims to put boots back on the lunar soil, Artemis II is a rigorous 10-day flight test designed to prove that the life support and navigation systems are ready for the long haul. The four-person crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Each brings a unique record to the flight. Glover will become the first Black astronaut to go on a lunar mission, while Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. Hansen, a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, is the first non-American to leave low Earth orbit.

This international cooperation is a direct result of a treaty between the United States and Canada regarding the Civil Lunar Gateway. The mission begins with a series of complex maneuvers in Earth orbit. After reaching an initial elliptical path, the Orion spacecraft will stay in high Earth orbit for about 24 hours. During this time, the crew will perform a proximity operations demonstration. They will manually pilot Orion in relation to the jettisoned Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage to test how the ship handles and docks. This phase is vital because it lets the crew check the life support systems and communication arrays while they are still close enough to Earth to make a quick return if something goes wrong. Once the systems are cleared, the propulsion stage will execute the trans-lunar injection burn to send the capsule toward the moon. A major piece of this journey is the European Service Module. Provided by the European Space Agency, this module provides Orion with electricity, propulsion, thermal control, and the air and water the astronauts need to breathe and drink.

As the spacecraft travels roughly 230,000 miles from home, it will pass about 4,600 miles above the lunar surface. The mission uses what is called a free-return trajectory. This means the moon's own gravity will naturally pull the vehicle around its far side and sling it back toward Earth without needing a massive engine burn to get home. According to the Government Accountability Office, the program has faced some hurdles, including technical issues with Orion's life support valves and battery circuitry that pushed the launch from its original 2024 date to today, April 1, 2026.

NASA engineers are also keeping a close eye on the heat shield. During the uncrewed Artemis I mission, the shield experienced some unexpected erosion and charring. Artemis II will be the ultimate test of the Environmental Control and Life Support System in a deep space environment, something that could not be fully realized without humans on board to generate heat and moisture.

Another technical goal is the testing of the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System. This system uses lasers rather than traditional radio waves to send high-definition video and large data sets back to Earth at much higher speeds. This technology is a cornerstone of the broader Moon to Mars strategy, where the insights gained during these lunar operations will eventually inform the first human missions to the Red Planet.

When the mission concludes, the Orion capsule will hit Earth's atmosphere at speeds exceeding 25,000 miles per hour. It will face temperatures near 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit before a series of 11 parachutes slows it down for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. A combined team from the U.S. Navy and NASA's Exploration Ground Systems will be waiting off the coast of California to recover the crew.

Cleveland 13 News is providing a live feed of the launch throughout the day online. Local residents interested in the history of the mission can visit the Great Lakes Science Center, which serves as the official visitor center for NASA Glenn, to see displays on the SLS rocket components.

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