You remember the moon, right?
Not since the Apollo missions have humans set foot on our one and only natural satellite, but times are changing, and NASA is finding new interest in getting boots back on the ground there.
Just after midnight tonight (12:04am), NASA will be launching Artemis I for a trip around the earth before rocketing around the far side of the moon and returning to earth. The mission will be uncrewed. “They’re just testing out the equipment, basically,” says Bob King. “This is the biggest rocket that’s ever been built.”
In 2024, Artemis II will follow a similar route, but with a crew, and a few years after that, Artemis III will include human touchdown on the surface.
“This is part of an even broader mission,” says King. “There’s strong desire to build a place for humans on the moon and then to use the moon as a steppingstone to make the next mission to Mars.”
You can watch the launch on NASA’s Youtube page. Live coverage begins at 9:30pm.
