Artemis Two: First Crewed Moon Mission in 50 Years

0:00It's March 30, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Vancouver News today. Local news powered by AI. NASA's gearing up for Artemis II, the first crude moon mission in over 50 years, sets a launch in the first week of April from Cape Canaveral. Four astronauts, including a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian, will orbit the moon in the Orion capsule atop the massive space launch system, Rocket. Unlike Apollo 11's landing, this is a safe first-linked shot fly by the test systems. Earlier this week, new NASA boss Jared Isaacman shook things up, adding an extra mission next year for Earth orbit docking practice with SpaceX and Blue Origin Landers, pushing the actual moon landing to Artemis IV in 2028. Apollo raced to the moon in eight years. Artemis has taken decades amid debates over moon versus Mars' goals. Crew members like Christina Koch say they honor Apollo, but can't match its boldness, especially with today's diverse team reflecting modern society.

1:00The SLS packs more thrust than the old Saturn V, launching from PAD 39B after fuel and helium delays stalled prep. China is now the rival, landing robots on the moon's far side, and eyeing the South Pole's water ice by 2030, just like NASA. Artemis II will loop Earth first, then head out three to four days to the moon, using gravity for fuel saving figure eight return, splashing down. In the Pacific, this 10-day trip brings hope amid tough times, testing life support for future landings, and proving we can still reach for the stars together.