The most exciting story in space flight this decade has been NASA’s announcement of the Artemis program, which aims to land humans on the moon for the first time in over 50 years. The program has multiple stages, and the first, Artemis I, already went through successfully in 2022. That flight was an uncrewed test, and everyone’s been waiting since for Artemis II, which will take a crew of four astronauts on a 10-day flight around the moon and back. The mission has faced several delays, and was almost put on pause during the recent government shutdown, but fortunately, the show will go on. Of course, every show needs a dress rehearsal, and NASA has just made the exciting announcement that Artemis II is ready for the stage.
On November 20, NASA announced that assembly of the Artemis II spacecraft had been completed. This entailed stacking two parts together: the Orion spacecraft in which the astronauts will ride, and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which will power them to the stars. Connecting these two components is a major milestone, and one that didn’t always seem like NASA would reach. Development of the Orion spacecraft was delayed after parts of its heat shield broke in a 2022 test flight, and further safety concerns about Orion have dogged the program since. This latest development is a great ray of hope, and it won’t be long now until the crew of Artemis II takes their seats for the first time.
How NASA astronauts prepare for space flight
The Artemis II spacecraft has been stacked in NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but before it goes out onto the launchpad, the crew needs to prepare for their flight. NASA’s next step is to conduct a countdown demonstration test, in which the astronauts suit up, board Orion, and perform all the steps of a launch, except for the actual launching part. It’s essentially a dress rehearsal for space flight.
Artemis II will be crewed by American astronauts Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, while Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen represents the Canadian Space Agency. In preparation for their flight to the moon, each crew member must practice their part until they can practically do it in their sleep. They will do this by donning the newly-designed Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits, boarding the spacecraft, and securing themselves in position for launch. They will then reenact a real NASA countdown, just as they will do on the actual launch day.
As the crew rehearses their part in the launch, so must the ground personnel. Part two of the countdown demonstration test involves rolling the Orion and the SLS on to the launch pad, where support personnel will rehearse emergency procedures. A date for that part of the tests has yet to be announced, but it will likely come soon based on Artemis II’s planned launch date.