Artemis 2 first crewed NASA Moon mission since 1972 to launch regardless of ‘main’ flaw
NASA is preparing to launch its Artemis II Moon mission on February 6, which will send four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years despite concerns
Astronauts will be sent around the Moon for the first time in 50 years (Image: NASA)
NASA is gearing up to launch astronauts on a lunar journey for the first time in over 50 years. But safety concerns persist among specialists regarding the spacecraft’s readiness.
Scheduled for lift-off on February 6, NASA has already transported its rocket to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The expedition will feature a 10-day crewed voyage carrying four astronauts within the Orion capsule, which will act as their exploration vessel.
Yet as the quartet prepares to board NASA’s 16.5-foot-wide Orion craft, they’ll be aware of a recognised defect. The issue centres on a specialised protective layer beneath the spacecraft called the heat shield, reports the Express.
This crucial element protects crew members from scorching temperatures during their Earth re-entry at the conclusion of the Artemis II mission. Dr Danny Olivas, a former NASA astronaut who sat on a space agency-appointed independent review panel examining the matter, voiced his worries.
“This is a deviant heat shield. There’s no doubt about it: This is not the heat shield that NASA would want to give its astronauts”, said Dr Olivas.
He added: “I think in my mind, there’s no flight that ever takes off where you don’t have a lingering doubt.
“But NASA really does understand what they have. They know the importance of the heat shield to crew safety, and I do believe that they’ve done the job.”
In a statement to CNN, NASA said the agency “considered all aspects” when making that decision, noting there is also “uncertainty that comes with the development and qualification of the processes of changing the manufacturing process of the Avcoat ablator blocks.”
The mission will put vital systems through their paces that will be essential for future deep-space expeditions. Unlike Artemis I, which flew without crew, Artemis II will transport humans to verify life-support systems, navigation, communications, and the performance of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
The 10-day crewed expedition will mark the first time humans have undertaken a lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972, setting the stage for Artemis III, which targets returning astronauts to the Moon’s surface.
Artemis II will transport NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Engineers remain on track at the launch pad and are gearing up for a wet dress rehearsal as early as Saturday January 31. This pre-launch examination involves completely fuelling the rocket, executing the countdown, and safely emptying the propellants without astronauts aboard.
Artemis II won’t touch down on the Moon as its primary objective is testing, not exploration. Instead, it’s engineered to transport astronauts around the Moon and back, ensuring all systems function safely with humans aboard.
Orbiting the Moon enables engineers to examine navigation, communication delays, and the impact of deep-space travel on astronauts. The mission also serves as a test for the spacecraft’s ability to withstand the harsh conditions of exiting Earth’s orbit and safely re-entering.
NASA has set its sights on a lunar landing with Artemis III, once Artemis II successfully demonstrates that all systems are functioning as anticipated.
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, expressed his commitment to the mission, stating it would fulfil “a promise to the American people that we will return to the moon”.
