Nasa has revealed it is planning on sending Earth’s first manned mission to the Moon in 50 years as soon as February.
The US space agency has said it is committed to launching the 10-day trip no later than April, but is hoping to start it earlier.
The US has not flown a crewed lunar mission in 50 years, and Nasa is now planning to send four astronauts who will be able to test systems.
The mission, named Artemis II, will be the second launch of the Artemis programme, which aims to establish a long-term presence on the moon.
Lakiesha Hawkins, Nasa’s acting deputy associate administrator said: “We together have a front row seat to history.
“The launch window could open as early as February 5, but we want to emphasise that safety is our top priority.”
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the Artemis launch director, said the Space Launch System (SLS), which is the rocket system built to take the crew to the Moon, is “pretty much stacked and ready to go”.
Although the crew will not land on the Moon, they will be the first people to travel beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
PICTURED (from left to right): Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen
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NASA
The four astronauts will be Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch of Nasa, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency.
Jeff Radigan, the lead flight director of Artemis II, said: “They’re going at least 5,000 nautical miles (9,200km) past the Moon, which is much higher than previous missions have gone.”
This means they will “set a record for the farthest human travel beyond the far side of the Moon” and complete a mission of more than 620,000 miles.
Artemis II’s success will determine how soon Nasa will be able to launch Artemis III – which will hope to land on the Moon.
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PICTURED: Artemis II’s projected flight map
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NASA
Nasa has also announced 10 new astronaut candidates who will make up the agency’s 24th class – and the first since 2021.
Among the recruits, who were chosen from over 8,000 candidates, are scientists, flight pilots, engineers, and even a former member of the USA women’s rugby national team.
It is thought that provided they pass their two years of intense training, one of them could be the first person to walk on Mars.
The 10 astronauts were picked from over 8,000 candidates
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NASA
Nasa administrator Sean Duffy said: “The 10 men and women sitting here today embody the truth that in America, regardless of where you start, there is no limit to what a determined dreamer can achieve – even going to space.
“Together, we’ll unlock the Golden Age of exploration.”
