Artemis Two: First Crewed Moon Mission in 50 Years

0:00On March 31, NASA is gearing up for Artemis II, the first crewed moon mission since 1972. Four astronauts will blast off on the massive space launch system rocket with the Orion capsule, flying out to the moon and looping around it without landing. The whole trip lasts just under 10 days, a quick out and back to test everything for future landings. This crew brings serious diversity and experience. Commander Reed Weisman led astronauts before. Victor Glover was the first black astronaut on the space station, Christina Cole calls the record for. Longest single spaceflight by a woman, and Jeremy Hansen from Canada is the rookie fighter pilot. Ages 47 to 50, they're ready to make history. The rockets more powerful than the old Saturn V, built from shuttle parts but plagued by hydrogen leaks that delayed things from last year to now, April. After launch, they'll orbit Earth once, practice docking by eye with the upper stage, then sling toward the moon on a fuel-saving gravity path.

1:02At the farthest point, they'll zip 5,000 miles past the moon's far side, farther than Apollo 13 ever went, snapping pics of untouched, spots with pro cameras and smartphones. No one's landed there except China, so their views could unlock new science, guided by experts back in Houston. As they scream home for a Pacific splashdown off San Diego, all eyes stay on Orion's heat shield after past damage. This test paves the way for boots on lunar soil soon, pulling the world closer to that cosmic frontier. From around the world, powered by AI, this is Global News Today. I'm Corey, with the story.