NASA and Military Collaborate for Lunar Mission
- NASA's Artemis II includes military astronauts as crew
- The Space Force will ensure launch safety during the mission
- Orion's abort system enhances crew protection in emergencies
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida — The US military has long been intertwined with NASA's human spaceflight endeavors. Historically, many astronauts were military pilots, and among the Artemis II crew, two are former Navy test pilots.
Scheduled for launch Wednesday, Artemis II marks the first crewed mission to the Moon's vicinity since 1972. Captain Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover, both Navy test pilots, lead this momentous journey on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, accompanied by NASA astronaut Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
While NASA facilitates the launch from Florida's Space Coast, the Space Force will play a crucial role in monitoring the mission, ensuring public safety, and ready to intervene if necessary. The Orion capsule is equipped with an abort system to safeguard the astronauts in case of a launch failure.