NASA's Artemis II: Most Powerful Rocket to Take Humans Near Moon After 50 Years

• NASA's Artemis II mission will take humans closer to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, using the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
• The mission includes four astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover (first Black person in deep space), Christina Koch (first woman to travel to the Moon), and Jeremy Hansen (first Canadian astronaut).
• The SLS rocket and Orion capsule, standing 100 meters tall, will travel 1.1 million km at speeds up to 24,500 miles per hour, with a primary goal of establishing a permanent lunar base.
• Astronauts will test communication systems, manually operate the Orion capsule, and deal with space radiation using a special shelter during the 10-day mission.
• Safety is paramount; NASA is addressing technical issues like a bent cable, valve defects, and oxygen pump leakage, with 14 alternative launch dates if the February 6 launch is delayed.

Why It Matters: Artemis II marks humanity's return to lunar proximity, paving the way for a permanent Moon base and Mars missions.