Time magazine has unveiled the cover of its new issue, entitled “Back to the Moon.” It is dedicated to the Artemis II mission. It features the faces of four astronauts who will soon embark on a journey that will take them further from our planet than any other humans in history.
We have already provided detailed information about the Artemis II flight plan and the technology involved in the mission. In short, for the first time in 54 years, humans will leave the vicinity of our planet and head for the Moon. During the 10-day flight, the Orion spacecraft with four astronauts will fly around the Moon on a free-capture trajectory and then return to Earth. In addition to its important symbolic significance, Artemis II will test Orion in human flight conditions and demonstrate its readiness to support interplanetary missions.
The closer we get to the launch of Artemis II, the more attention it receives from various media outlets. Among them is Time magazine. In addition to featuring the Artemis II crew on its cover, the magazine also published a lengthy article about the upcoming flight, written by journalist Jeffrey Kluger. He is known for being the author of a number of books on space programs. Together with astronaut James Lovell, he wrote the book Lost Moon, which later became the basis for the film Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks.
On January 31, NASA plans to conduct a dress rehearsal for the Artemis II launch, during which the SLS rocket will be fully fueled, followed by a practice countdown. If the check does not reveal any problems, this will give the green light for the mission to launch.
The closest potential launch windows for Artemis II are February 6–8 and February 10–11. If the SLS can’t travel to the Moon during these windows, the next chance to launch the rocket will be in early March.
You can also check out a selection of the best photos taken during the previous Artemis I mission.
