For the first time since 1972, human beings will visit the moon. Well, visit near the moon, because this Artemis II mission, set to launch today during a window starting at 6:24 pm Eastern time, is just one that will go around the moon without landing, making it the fourth time such a trip has happened. It’s preceded by Apollo 8, a test run that went into lunar orbit, then Apollo 10, a full “dress rehearsal” around the moon before the first landing with Apollo 11, and then Apollo 13, which famously had a near-disaster and wasn’t able to land, but looped around the moon.
Even if we’ve sort of done this before, it’s significant how we’re doing it again. For one thing, this is an all-new spacecraft, Orion, which will carry four astronauts instead of three, and the first woman to go on such a mission. Also, the space toilet on Orion is vastly better than the awful stick-on-your-butt bags of the Apollo missions, and the Orion capsules can be re-used.
The Artemis II mission will also be the furthest from Earth that human beings have ever traveled, with its trajectory set to take this quartet of astronauts 250,000 to 252,800 miles away from home, beating the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles.
And, more importantly, this mission inaugurates what I hope will be a return to regular human space exploration beyond Earth orbit.
Orion is a very different spacecraft than Apollo, full of new technologies, and represents a new generation of spacecraft capable of going beyond the Earth. I’m very curious to hear about how it performs.
The Artemis program has had its share of delays and setbacks; some argue that the SLS (Space Launch System) launch vehicle was hamstrung because of the demands that it re-purpose Shuttle Program components, but the end result is a rocket that is the most powerful ever human-rated launch vehicle, making 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, which is almost a million more than what the legendary Saturn V moon rocket made in the Apollo era.
NASA has some live feeds available to watch the launch, which I recommend you do! Here, I’ll embed the feed for you, make it nice and easy:
Look, I know many of us have some pretty conflicted and complicated feelings about our country, the world, hell, humanity in general. I feel it, too. But despite it all, despite the inanity and stupidity and callowness and cruelty and madness we are confronted with every day, humans are still, deep down, absolutely incredible.
People, people like you and I, have given the world stunning works of art and pieces of music that fill us with emotion, movies we can’t forget, sandwiches we still reminisce about, inside jokes that make us crack up in the middle of a shower, cars that we love, kisses and adventures and novels and desserts and conversations and days in the mountains and held hands and spit takes and slaps and looking at stars and on and on and on.
And some of these people are smart. So smart that they got together and built a fucking rocket to go to the moon, just because something deep inside us pushes us to do these kinds of crazy things, to learn and discover and wonder and learn some more.
So, yeah, I’m fucking excited we’re going back to the moon. I don’t care if you think SpaceX could have done it better or that there are other problems in the world, because of course there are. Today, I don’t care about the idiots in power or their bad ideas, or all of the shitty things they’re doing, because some other people are going to try to go to the moon today.
Godspeed.
If it’s any solace, I think there were a lot of people upset with the US government in the 60s too.
If you ever get the chance to witness a rocket launch in person, it is one of the coolest fucking things you will ever experience. Dad convinced mom to go to Cape Canaveral one day when we were visiting Disney World. We got there only to discover like half the place was shut down. We found out they were putting a satellite in orbit that afternoon and I begged mom to stay to see it.
We were on on the observation tower, I think seven miles away. See the boosters ignite and a couple seconds later almost get knocked off my feet and then the sound hits. It was the most awe-inspiring thing I’ve ever witnessed. To think we can build things like that? It’s been 27 years but it’s something I’ll never forget, and something I hope I get to experience again.
Yours is the right take Jason, this is a moment to celebrate.
And I know this is not a popular view in these boldly cynical times, but I feel our best days are ahead of us.
We will solve the problems we face.
We will not destroy outselves.
We will not destroy the planet.
Human beings are fundamentally good, kind and clever.
The future will not be the past, and the space program is us at our best.
I remembered today watching the Apollo 11 launch back on that July day, we had just recently got a color TV.
And it filled young me with hope.
And while there has been a lot of bad since that day, a lot, (and I know more than most do about that bad having lived my particular life) the arc of the universe bends towards justice, kindness, and humanity overcoming our petty ways.
It isn’t quick to undo hundreds of thousands of years of ingrained and pre-programmed tribal violence and hate. But we shall overcome.
Well said! I too remember the Apollo moon landings as a kid, we were all on edge. No one died (never forget Apollo 1 in ’67), and it showed everyone we can all achieve amazing things if we try. Optimism has come and gone over the decades, but there’s always a little more positive than negative, and we sloooly keep moving forward.
“Watching” Curiosity and Perseverance land on Mars was the closest I had to what I think of as the “Apollo experience” very cool, but less inspiring.
For this launch I had my 8 year old son watching on the couch with me, and one of my best friends worked on the flight suits the astronauts wear.
this hit different. It felt bigger. I feld proud to be … Human? Idk. It was cool. I’m excited for this, and hope more scientific inspiration can come from it.
Watched the launch; it was amazing. I was at the edge of the couch, just like 10 year old me watching the Apollo launches.
I’ve ardently supported NASA my entire life and attended the first Shuttle launch as a tyke. It’s astonishing, the extreme emptiness I felt watching this mission lift off as there’s no actionable long term plan with milestones, just fleeting spectacle. I’m loathe to see this anti-science administration take credit for any successes – with the only bright spot being that Musk isn’t involved.
You need to study the long term goals of the current program, and review its history.
I used to root for the SpaceX underdog and look down on bloated government waste or calcified aerospace contractors. Boy, how the turns have tabled. Go NASA!
Just adding that the engineers and technicians at SpaceX have pulled off some amazing advancements that I doubt the bureaucratic environment of old NASA, that some of them came from, would have allowed. They don’t deserve the shade that their boss earned.
NASA has always been shackled by politics so no, can’t compare the two. But right now private enterprise is showing its dark side with Elon at the helm.
I kind of feel like NASA *is* the underdog these days.
I hope General Zod minds his own business this time.
> 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, which is almost a million more than what the legendary Saturn V moon rocket made
How much more than the Saturn Vue (base model)?
Approximately 8.8 million. Give or take.
OK I looked it up.
2002 Saturn Vue V6 AWD
0-60 in 8.3 seconds
Curb weight 3,740 lbs + 800 lbs’ worth of astronauts
That works out to about 1,500 lbs of thrust.
So you’re 100% correct.
Allegedly, we did this already. Only one failure, which is a pretty good success rate.
I kept thinking about the temperature and those seals. Luckily temp was just about perfect for them. Watching all those recycled space shuttle parts sit there getting ready to go was a surreal thing.
My dad was working in aerospace for a defense contractor and was at work when Challenger happened his aerospace engineer buddies kept calling nasa and any contact they had in gov and military to abort because they knew those seals wouldn’t hold. They all went straight to the bar after it happened.
I’m still to cynical, sorry. The government is doing so many things I’m not proud of, and, to be frank, it’s harshed my buzz on the actual good stuff. I hear you about the toilets, tho.
Can you at least be happy for the Canadian astronaut?
Take a longer term view.
Just watched it, I’m glad everything went well so far. It’s not over yet hopefully a primordial black hole doesn’t fly by and destroy the crew capsule in route.
I was lucky enough to design a small component of Orion. Ad Astra!
which part?
A bracket for one of the external antennae. Nothing major.
I mean, the Service Module alone has reportedly 20,000 components, so many of those could easily be called “nothing major”. And yet, every single one is essential!
It’s still awesome that you got to do it!
Cool!
Did you work with the toilet team? I think that’s what Jason is too shy to ask lest he get too star struck.
Very cool just to be a part of it!
I just watched the launch. I have to admit I was clenched for a few minutes. Whew!
I love space flight so I am glad to hear about this happening today. Last thing Godspeed Artemis II
I was half expecting the electronic parking brake to refuse to let go like it did on the rental that was the first car so equipped I ever drove. Had to be shut off, gotten out of, locked and restarted from scratch when that happened. A bit more complicated with a spacecraft than a Nissan Rogue Sport…
The parking brake was designed by Jeep engineer and was never a threat to the rocket’s ability to move.
Yep, that was awe inspiring
I find it ironic they named the vehicle “Integrity”
The crew gets to name the vehicle. I’m sure that was intentional.
Integrity is now off the planet. It’s apt, really.
You miss the point.
I wonder how many astronauts are holding a fart until the rocket engines fire up and make enough noise to hide the fart sound.
Just don’t light it!
That’s a long, messy, stinky ride if you miscalculated the nature of the load you had on deck. As soon you reach orbit, they’d need to vent the atmosphere before everyone exceeds one Garn.
Astronauts are fed what is called a “low residue” diet to, among other things, minimize the chance of that
Can we please get the airlines to serve this?
Having recently had a colonoscopy – You really don’t want that.
Too bad. A fart in zero g would be a great way to get around the ISS.
Right, but still… keep clenched and carry on!
In an air-tight spacesuit, no one can hear you cut cheese
But you better hope the filters work quick cause you’re gonna be, well, more than catching a whiff.
I like the moon.
Well said Torch!
Less than a hour to launch, here’s hoping all goes well!
beautiful Torch
Good luck Artemis!
That’s a lot of pollution and wasted resources to kick some dust far away. Maybe they’re building a secret base on the dark side?
That would be the Chinese plan…
Not a secret base. From NASA:
I guess it’s not as well known as I assumed, which I’ll take as a positive in this age of crazy conspiracies, but I was jokingly referencing the conspiracy theories about a certain 20th Century German government supposedly having built a secret base on the moon. There was an intentionally terrible movie made of it, Iron Sky, but it goes back quite a while.
Isn’t the moon just a sound stage in Hollywood?
No, it’s in Area 51, not Hollywood. Duh!
Just a short drive from Las Vegas, actually.
(James, how are we going to get those Diamonds?)
“wasted resources” This is an old argument. I assume you are aware of the contributions of the space program to your daily life.