NASA sets sights on the moon for the first time in decades with Artemis launch
HOUSTON - For the first time in about 50 years, NASA is preparing for a mission to the moon.
On Monday, Artemis 1 is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 8:33 a.m. The crewless test flight will use NASA’s most powerful rocket ever.
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"This is really the first of all the new technology," said William Harris, President and CEO of Space Center Houston. "Before we send humans on board the Orion capsule."
Almost 60 years ago, President John F. Kennedy ignited the space race. Now, a new mission is set to take off. NASA hopes to have Americans live on the moon and explore further than anyone has gone before.
"We’ve got to explore our solar system," said former NASA astronaut Dr. Robert Satcher. "We’ve got to explore the universe and beyond. This is really the first big step since the Apollo mission."
In recent months, NASA announced plans to include landing the first Black man and a woman on the moon with future Artemis missions.
"Now, it’s directly relatable," said Satcher. "It’s long overdue. These kids will actually see people, whoever they are, look like them on the moon. It really opens up the imagination."
Artemis 1 is scheduled to send the crewless Orion capsule on a 42-day trip around the moon. The test flight should be a launching point for future lunar missions and beyond.
"With the Artemis program, we’re going to learn a lot more about how humans can thrive in an environment that’s not normal to us," said Harris.
"I’m going to be watching on TV like everybody else," said Satcher. "I’m going to be really excited."