Science Friday Artemis II test flight heads toward the moon
6 snips
Apr 3, 2026 Rebecca Boyle, science journalist and author who writes about lunar science, and Brendan Byrne, space reporter covering launches and regional aerospace, discuss Artemis II’s launch and what comes next. They describe launch atmosphere, Orion systems checks, mission milestones, program risks, and long‑term plans for lunar missions. They also explore what Earth would be like without the moon.
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Visceral Power Of The SLS Launch
- Brendan Byrne described the Artemis II launch as a visceral, body-shaking experience felt four miles from the pad.
- He highlighted the RS-25 engines and solid rocket boosters producing 8.8 million pounds of thrust and a loud, flapping-air sound that cracked the sky.
Artemis II Is A Full Systems Shakedown
- Artemis II is a crewed test flight focused on validating Orion's manual control, life support, and crew operations in deep space.
- Crew will manually fly around a spent rocket stage, test oxygen/water/toilet systems, and perform medical tests while doing a ~10-day lunar flyby at ~5,000 miles altitude.
Program Roadmap Depends On Lander Tests
- If Artemis II succeeds, NASA plans sequential tests: Artemis 3 will dock Orion with commercial landers in low Earth orbit, then Artemis 4 will attempt a crewed lunar landing using a lander.
- Artemis 3 shifts focus to testing commercial landers (SpaceX, Blue Origin) before committing to a surface mission.
