The Orion spacecraft landed safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on the morning of April 11th - Photo: NASA
The Artemis II mission successfully concluded after 10 days orbiting the Moon, marking the first crewed flight to return to the area since Apollo 17. The Orion spacecraft landed safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, bringing to a close a significant milestone in modern space exploration.
According to NASA, Artemis II is not a "once-in-a-lifetime" mission, but rather the beginning of a series of ongoing missions aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface by 2027 and establishing a long-term human presence there.
Beyond its symbolic significance, Artemis II also helped test the Orion spacecraft system in real-world conditions, from flight control and life support systems to its ability to withstand high temperatures upon re-entry into the atmosphere. This is a crucial foundation for preparing for more complex missions in the future.
New strategy: build a base on the Moon instead of an orbital station.
A notable change in NASA's plans is abandoning the idea of building a space station orbiting the Moon (Gateway), in order to focus directly on building a base on the surface.
According to experts, a direct presence on the Moon would yield many scientific benefits, from technology testing and resource extraction to training in extraterrestrial survival skills. It is also considered an important "rehearsal" before moving on to more distant missions such as to Mars.
The Artemis program was therefore designed not only to "land" on the Moon, but also to build a sustainable space exploration ecosystem, with the participation of both the public and private sectors.
Following Artemis II, NASA outlined a specific roadmap for the next steps.
The Artemis III mission is scheduled for 2027, but it won't immediately send humans to the Moon. Instead, its main purpose will be to test the docking between the Orion spacecraft and other lunar landers in near-Earth orbit. This is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of future landings.
These landers were developed by two major private companies, Blue Origin (founded by Jeff Bezos) and SpaceX (founded by Elon Musk), demonstrating the growing trend of public-private partnerships in the aerospace industry.
By 2028, the Artemis IV mission will take astronauts to lunar orbit, after which two will land in the South Pole region, believed to have water ice. They will stay there for about a week to conduct scientific research.
Subsequent missions like Artemis V will aim to increase the frequency of landings, potentially reaching once every six months, while optimizing costs and technology to make travel between Earth and the Moon more "regular".
Artemis II was the stepping stone to reopening the era of lunar exploration - Photo: NASA
Key lessons from Artemis II
In addition to its success, Artemis II also helped NASA better identify technical problems that needed to be addressed.
One of the main objectives was to inspect the Orion spacecraft's heat shield, after discovering more than 100 points of damage during the unmanned Artemis I mission in 2022. With the new return orbit, NASA says no significant anomalies were observed, indicating that improvements are on the right track.
However, the Orion spacecraft encountered problems with the helium valve system in its propulsion system. Although the leak was detected before launch, the severity increased in space, forcing NASA to consider redesigning the system for future missions.
Beyond its technical aspects, Artemis II was also a media success. Images of the Moon and Earth from space attracted tens of millions of online views, demonstrating the powerful appeal of space missions to the global public.
Despite having a clear roadmap, NASA still faces many challenges before it can send humans back to the surface of the Moon.
The next-generation rocket for Artemis III is nearing completion, while the Orion spacecraft is also being assembled at the Kennedy Space Center. However, resolving the technical issues, particularly with the propulsion system, remains an unresolved problem.
More importantly, the landers developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX have yet to be fully tested in space. Recent audit reports indicate that both projects are behind schedule and facing numerous technical challenges, which could impact the overall plan.
Nevertheless, NASA is still aiming to launch Artemis III in 2027, demonstrating its determination to accelerate the return to the Moon.
Beyond just the Moon, the Artemis program is also an important preparatory step for more distant missions in the future.
Building a base on the Moon would allow humans to test survival technologies, exploit resources, and operate systems in an extraterrestrial environment—key elements if they want to conquer Mars.
However, as many experts have warned, the biggest challenge lies not in the technology, but in the human body itself. Research into space medicine, radiation, and long-term adaptation still needs more time to be perfected.
Artemis II, therefore, is not only a historic flight, but also a reminder that the journey to conquer space is a long process, requiring a combination of science, technology, and a deep understanding of humanity itself.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nasa-se-lam-gi-sau-artemis-ii-20260413120534685.htm
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