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Why NASA's Artemis II mission is so important, returning to the Moon as a benchmark for Mars
2026-04-08 09:20:07 / MISTERE&KURIOZITETE
Humanity is returning to deep space after more than five decades.
NASA's Artemis II mission marks the first human return beyond Earth orbit since 1972, opening a new chapter in space exploration and returning the Moon to the global spotlight.
Launched on April 1, the four-astronaut mission, three Americans and one Canadian, made a historic flight around the Moon in the Orion spacecraft, testing critical systems for future missions. For the first time, such a mission also includes a woman and an African-American astronaut, reflecting a more inclusive approach compared to the Apollo program.
During the journey, the crew spent about 40 minutes on the far side of the Moon, temporarily losing communication with Earth, a phenomenon known since the Apollo era. At the same time, the mission set a new distance record for manned flights, surpassing that of Apollo 13. Another rare moment was the observation from space of a solar eclipse that lasted over 50 minutes.
According to experts, Artemis II is considered a crucial test for future lunar landings and the establishment of a long-term human presence beyond Earth. Astronomer Loukas Zaheilas calls the mission a “major scientific achievement” that paves the way for the systematic study of the Moon.
Unlike the Apollo program's approach, NASA's strategy is gradual. After the robotic Artemis I mission, this is the first human step, while future missions will increase in complexity. According to the plan, Artemis III will test technologies for landing on the Moon in collaboration with private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, while Artemis IV aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface around 2028.
The long-term goal is to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon, particularly at the South Pole, where the presence of ice could support long-duration missions. This would turn the Moon into a strategic base for further exploration, including to Mars.
However, the path remains challenging. As Zaheilas points out, the technical risks are great, especially during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, where extreme temperatures test the ship's protective systems. The memory of the tragedies of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster remains a warning about the dangers of space exploration.
The mission is now in its return phase, with the Orion capsule expected to touch down off the coast of California. If all goes according to plan, this will mark a historic success and a major step towards a new era of human presence in space.
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