The "Artemis 2" mission, which is planned to last approximately ten days, involves US astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, orbiting the moon. They could potentially travel further from Earth than any humans have before. The last time US astronauts set foot on the moon was in 1972.

Europe Also Involved in "Artemis 2" Moon Mission

All those involved in "Artemis 2" are "extremely excited," said NASA manager Jeff Spaulding at a press conference. "They understand the significance of this mission." The European Space Agency ESA is also involved, contributing, among other things, a service module for the "Orion" capsule manufactured at the Airbus plant in Bremen. "Artemis 2" is a "milestone moment for human exploration and for the role that Europe plays in bringing humanity back to the moon," said ESA chief Josef Aschbacher.

The US space agency NASA expects that hundreds of thousands of people around the world will follow the launch - via livestream on the internet and many also from on-site in Florida. Hotels and guesthouses in a wide radius around the spaceport were completely booked out, mostly at significantly increased room rates. Launch parties are planned on beaches and in parks, and a donut shop chain sold special "Artemis 2" products specifically for the occasion.

"Artemis 2" Launch Had Previously Been Postponed Multiple Times

The launch of the crisis-plagued "Artemis 2" mission had previously been postponed multiple times due to technical problems - and could be postponed again this time for various reasons. However, NASA remained optimistic, and meteorologists gave an 80 percent probability that the weather would cooperate.

(APA/Red)

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