NASA has unveiled videos from the Artemis II launch on April 1, showcasing the power of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This mission marked the first crewed lunar flight since the Apollo program concluded in 1972, carrying a crew of four around the moon.
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The SLS lifted off from Launch Complex-39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, attracting over 300,000 spectators along the Space Coast who witnessed the rocket ascend into the early evening sky, leaving a trail of smoke behind.
Technicians captured extensive engineering footage from various angles using multiple specialized cameras, including drones, to track the launch. The newly released videos utilize scientifically calibrated in-flight imaging (SCIFLI) across different wavelengths, such as visible light and several infrared spectrums, allowing viewers to see details not perceivable by the naked eye.
Artemis II was notable not just for its crewed status but also as the first flight of NASA's Orion spacecraft with astronauts on board. The mission included NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. It involved a 10-day journey around the moon before returning to Earth.
Looking ahead, Artemis III is scheduled for mid-2027 and will involve a longer mission but won’t venture as far. It will include NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, and Andrew Douglas, along with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. This mission aims to test the interoperability of commercial lunar landers in Earth orbit, setting the stage for Artemis IV, targeted for a lunar landing in 2028.