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  • Returning to the moon: An overview of the Artemis Program and Artemis II

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    THE CHARGES THAT SHE’S NOW FACING THIS MORNING. WESH TWO NEWS STARTS NOW WITH BREAKING NEWS. THAT BREAKING NEWS JUST INTO WESH TWO NEWS AND OUR NEWSROOM. NASA IS CONFIRMING THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE LAUNCH OF THE ARTEMIS TWO MISSION IS NOW BEING PUSHED TO SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH. IF THAT DATE RINGS A BELL, IT’S BECAUSE IT’S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. THE AGENCY DIDN’T START THE ROCKET’S WET DRESS REHEARSAL LAST NIGHT. THAT’S DUE TO COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, SO IT WILL NOW ATTEMPT THE REHEARSAL ON MONDAY, AND THEN THE LAUNCH DATE AND TIME WILL BE FINALIZED. ONCE TEAMS HAVE REVIEWED THE RESULTS OF THE WET DRESS REHEARSAL. AND WE’RE ALSO STAYING ON TOP OF

    Returning to the moon: An overview of the Artemis Program and Artemis II

    Updated: 10:38 AM EST Jan 30, 2026

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    Latest updates on Artemis IIJan. 30: ‘Wet dress rehearsal’ delayed due to weatherJan. 28: Cold weather puts wet dress rehearsal in questionJan. 17: NASA rolls out Artemis II at Kennedy Space CenterArtemis II is preparing for launch from the Kennedy Space Center, where the rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft for a second time, this time with a crew on its journey to the moon.The first launch window opens from Feb. 6-11. If it does not launch in February, there will be another window open in March, and again in April if necessary.>> WESH 2 will stream the launch live in this article The mission aims to test the spacecraft’s systems with astronauts aboard before future lunar landings. The 10-day flight aims to help confirm systems and hardware NASA needs for early human lunar exploration missions.According to NASA, four astronauts will venture around the moon on Artemis II, paving the way for a return to the Moon and eventually Mars.The hope is to establish a long-term presence for future exploration and science through the Artemis Program. The science conducted in space is expected to drive progress in medicine and technology on Earth. As the mission prepares for launch, the crawler transporter moved the Artemis II rocker from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 17, bringing it to launch pad 39-B. “It’s been since 1972 that human beings have gone anywhere in the vicinity of the moon,” said Dr. Don Platt from Florida Tech. A crew of four astronauts will be aboard NASA’s Space Launch System.Commander: Reid WisemanPilot: Victor GloverMission Specialist: Christina KochMission Specialist: Jeremy Hansen The four astronauts will launch aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and travel inside the Orion spacecraft to fly around the moon. In space, they will test critical systems needed for future moon landings. Artemis Program overviewArtemis is NASA’s long-term Moon exploration campaign.The program’s main goals include returning humans to the moon, building a sustained lunar presence, maturing technology and operations needed for human missions to Mars, and doing this all with international and commercial partners.The missions are each designated to different milestones, strategies and individual goals.Artemis IThis mission is complete.It was an uncrewed integrated flight test of the Space Launch System, which is a heavy-lift rocket that launches crews and large cargo toward the moon, and Orion, which is a crew spacecraft that carries astronauts to lunar orbit and returns them to Earth.SLS and Orion went around the moon and came back to Earth.The purpose of this mission was to validate deep-space performance and reentry before flying with a crew.>> Relive the launch of Artemis I here. Aretmis IIThis mission is planned.Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to the moon.The purpose of the crewed flight is to prove life support, operations and high-speed returns with astronauts. Artemis IIIThis mission is planned.Artemis III will be the first crewed lunar landing of the program, targeting the lunar South Pole region.The 10-day mission will include field geology, sample collection/return and deployed experiments.Four astronauts will launch in Oroin, two will land on the moon for surface work, and then they will return to Orion for the journey back to Earth. Artemis IV and beyondThe future missions will aim to expand on capabilities toward sustained operations on the moon, such as more surface time, more cargo and infrastructure delivery, increased use of Gateway as a staging node, and progression toward an “Artemis Base Camp” style sustainable presence. Why the lunar South Pole?It has scientifically valuable terrain and ancient geology.It contains regions with water ice and other volatiles in permanently shadowed areas, which is key for science and potential resources.Its challenging conditions will help prove the systems needed for Mars-class missions. More information Best Central Florida locations to view the launchIn Volusia CountySouth side of New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore)Bethune Beach, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave.Apollo Beach at New Smyrna BeachIn Brevard County (the Space Coast)Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. (There’s a charge to park.) Space View Park, 8 Broad St., TitusvilleAlan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa BeachCocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. (Parking fee varies.)Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa BeachIn Vero BeachAlma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero BeachMerrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach

    Latest updates on Artemis II

    Jan. 30: ‘Wet dress rehearsal’ delayed due to weather

    Jan. 28: Cold weather puts wet dress rehearsal in question

    Jan. 17: NASA rolls out Artemis II at Kennedy Space Center

    Artemis II is preparing for launch from the Kennedy Space Center, where the rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft for a second time, this time with a crew on its journey to the moon.

    The first launch window opens from Feb. 6-11. If it does not launch in February, there will be another window open in March, and again in April if necessary.

    >> WESH 2 will stream the launch live in this article

    The mission aims to test the spacecraft’s systems with astronauts aboard before future lunar landings. The 10-day flight aims to help confirm systems and hardware NASA needs for early human lunar exploration missions.

    According to NASA, four astronauts will venture around the moon on Artemis II, paving the way for a return to the Moon and eventually Mars.

    The hope is to establish a long-term presence for future exploration and science through the Artemis Program. The science conducted in space is expected to drive progress in medicine and technology on Earth.

    As the mission prepares for launch, the crawler transporter moved the Artemis II rocker from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 17, bringing it to launch pad 39-B.

    “It’s been since 1972 that human beings have gone anywhere in the vicinity of the moon,” said Dr. Don Platt from Florida Tech.

    A crew of four astronauts will be aboard NASA’s Space Launch System.

    • Commander: Reid Wiseman
    • Pilot: Victor Glover
    • Mission Specialist: Christina Koch
    • Mission Specialist: Jeremy Hansen

    The four astronauts will launch aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and travel inside the Orion spacecraft to fly around the moon. In space, they will test critical systems needed for future moon landings.

    artemis ii map

    Artemis Program overview

    Artemis is NASA’s long-term Moon exploration campaign.

    The program’s main goals include returning humans to the moon, building a sustained lunar presence, maturing technology and operations needed for human missions to Mars, and doing this all with international and commercial partners.

    The missions are each designated to different milestones, strategies and individual goals.

    Artemis I

    • This mission is complete.
    • It was an uncrewed integrated flight test of the Space Launch System, which is a heavy-lift rocket that launches crews and large cargo toward the moon, and Orion, which is a crew spacecraft that carries astronauts to lunar orbit and returns them to Earth.
    • SLS and Orion went around the moon and came back to Earth.
    • The purpose of this mission was to validate deep-space performance and reentry before flying with a crew.

    >> Relive the launch of Artemis I here.

    Aretmis II

    • This mission is planned.
    • Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to the moon.
    • The purpose of the crewed flight is to prove life support, operations and high-speed returns with astronauts.

    Artemis III

      • Artemis III will be the first crewed lunar landing of the program, targeting the lunar South Pole region.
      • The 10-day mission will include field geology, sample collection/return and deployed experiments.
      • Four astronauts will launch in Oroin, two will land on the moon for surface work, and then they will return to Orion for the journey back to Earth.

    Artemis IV and beyond

    • The future missions will aim to expand on capabilities toward sustained operations on the moon, such as more surface time, more cargo and infrastructure delivery, increased use of Gateway as a staging node, and progression toward an “Artemis Base Camp” style sustainable presence.

    Why the lunar South Pole?

      • It has scientifically valuable terrain and ancient geology.
      • It contains regions with water ice and other volatiles in permanently shadowed areas, which is key for science and potential resources.
      • Its challenging conditions will help prove the systems needed for Mars-class missions.

    More information

    Best Central Florida locations to view the launch

    In Volusia County

    • South side of New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore)
    • Bethune Beach, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave.
    • Apollo Beach at New Smyrna Beach

    In Brevard County (the Space Coast)

    • Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. (There’s a charge to park.)
    • Space View Park, 8 Broad St., Titusville
    • Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach
    • Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. (Parking fee varies.)
    • Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach

    In Vero Beach

    • Alma Lee Loy Bridge in Vero Beach
    • Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach

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  • In ‘Orion,’ a Tense Sci-Fi Two-Hander Serves as Sharp Social Allegory: We Don’t Have ‘Absolute Truth Anymore in This World’ — FilmQuest

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    While “Orion” is an ambitious indie space saga, its examination of human nature is decidedly earthbound.

    The film stars Andrew McCarthy as Jim, a NASA bigwig tasked with helping Apollo (Drew Van Acker), an astronaut with memory loss, figure out what happened to cause his ship to crash and leave the other crew dead. Their back-and-forth makes up the core of the film, as twists, turns and discoveries gradually unfold.

    Director Jaco Bouwer found plenty of grounded elements in Anne Vithayathil’s script for “Orion.” Audiences will set sail on the film’s maiden voyage when it has its world premiere at FilmQuest in Provo, Utah, on Oct. 25.

    “I don’t think we have an absolute truth anymore in this world,” he says. “This really touches on that without being super on the nose. Science fiction intrigues me a lot. I like the genre because it’s a little bit more of an expressionistic way of going about emotions.”

    Bouwer credits his collaborators for helping walk the film’s tricky tightrope of making a largely two-hander feel expansive. He cites McCarthy’s curiosity about the script — which is miles from the Brat Pack roles that first made him famous — as one big benefit.

    “He needs to know exactly what’s going on,” Bouwer says of McCarthy. “He really portrays Jim in a good way: There’s a cerebral aspect to him, he’s the master manipulator. In our film, there’s a moment towards the end where we do see some part of humanity behind it. I find him really professional, and I think his range is much bigger than we’ve seen before.”

    Beyond the dialogue, Bouwer and his cinematographer David Kruta were eager to make the contained film feel taut and dynamic — no easy feat on an indie production.

    “We actually used quite a few different lenses,” Bouwer says. “For the flashbacks, we used anamorphic, and we also changed the ratio. We sometimes went extreme wide-angle. Most of the effects were done in-camera. For me, it’s always performance first, so it’s important that the actors feel that. Because everything happens under one roof, the movement is motivated. So I would come in in the morning and we would block it in a way, and once we’ve done that, then I had a meeting with my DP to see how we can best choreograph the camera to suit them. Sometimes it’s purely for a visual, but mostly it was plotting their journey and letting the camera follow them or capture them in the best way.”

    Also critical were the sparingly-used glimpses of the further regions of outer space, which helped to convey the scale of the story — including a stunner of a final scene.

    “Especially that shot at the end, you pull back and just see the smallness and the scale of it,” Bouwer says. “There’s something really great for me, and emotional and sad as well, about that image. It’s kind of subliminal, but it was always in the back of my mind to make it feel that there is something bigger around. It makes the world bigger, although it’s a two-location film.”

    And while the vastness of the universe is worth considering, Bouwer had the most fun conjuring all of the fun and thrills out of a small-scale story.

    “I was really trying to mislead the audience in subtle ways,” he says. “I think it boils down to performances. If the performances weren’t believable, you’re in big trouble. So I was very happy to have Drew and Andrew as my main guides through this maze of twists and turns.”

    Watch the first footage of “Orion” below.

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    William Earl

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  • Report Finds NASA’s Orion Capsule Sustained Heat Shield Damage

    Report Finds NASA’s Orion Capsule Sustained Heat Shield Damage

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    Although NASA’s unmanned test flight of the Orion spacecraft in December 2022 was hailed as a triumph, the federal space agency found it had less to celebrate when they started examining the capsule, according to a recently released Office of the Inspector General report.

    The report, an audit assessing NASA’s readiness to undertake Artemis II, noted the capsule hadn’t held up well upon re-entry during the unmanned test flight. That flight was part of Artemis I, the first mission in a series planned to put boots on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.

    For Artemis I, the uncrewed spacecraft was launched on November 16, 2022. It spent just over 25 days in orbit and swung around the moon twice before reentering our atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on December 11. NASA officials seemed brimming with confidence when they assured the public that we’d be seeing Artemis II, the Orion’s first manned spaceflight, by 2024.

    However, in January, that brisk timeline was ultimately adjusted when NASA representatives announced that Artemis II, the first manned Orion flight, would not be launched until September 2025 “at the earliest”, noting that the safety of the astronauts who will one day be aboard the vehicle is paramount.

    The delays – which also bumped Artemis III to September 2026 at the earliest, while Artemis IV remains scheduled for 2028 – were allowing space agency teams time for “troubleshooting a battery issue and addressing challenges with a circuitry component responsible for air ventilation and temperature control,” according to the NASA release.

    But there was one other reason tucked in there, almost an afterthought: the fact that NASA employees needed time to further investigate the “unexpected loss of char layer pieces to the spacecraft’s heatshield,” although it was expected the investigation would be wrapped up this spring.

    Despite how casually NASA reported this issue in January, now the OIG report has made it clear that the Orion’s heat shield problems are more than just a minor nuisance to be sorted out. (Considering faulty heatshields caused the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster, it’s understandable that NASA isn’t eager to make a big deal about this, even though they are certainly working furiously to solve it.)

    So even though the Orion’s 2022 test looked fantastic, the report clarifies, in reality the Avcoat material that the heat shield is made of was worn away in more than 100 places by the time it splashed down in the Pacific. On top of that, while the ablative heat shield (aka the char layer) was intended to sort of melt, it ultimately broke off in chunks leaving a debris trail in its wake, a malfunction NASA scientists are still working to understand, according to the report.

    “The unexpected behavior of the Avcoat creates a risk that the heat shield may not sufficiently protect the capsule’s systems and crew from the extreme heat of reentry on future missions.”

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    “The unexpected behavior of the Avcoat creates a risk that the heat shield may not sufficiently protect the capsule’s systems and crew from the extreme heat of reentry on future missions,” the report states.

    In a statement accompanying the report, Catherine Koerner, NASA associate administrator of exploration systems development, tried to strike a positive tone, noting that NASA scientists “successfully recreated char loss,” meaning they are closer to understanding what is causing it.

    However, the OIG report also drilled down on this statement, explaining that NASA ultimately “could not reproduce the exact material response or flight environment experienced during Artemis I.”

    Considering that Orion will heat up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentry, the report underscored that the fact that the heat shield is breaking off in chunks could translate to a crew that will be unprotected from that heat or by the damage the shield could do to the capsule’s parachutes as it crumbles away.

    There were other issues that the OIG report highlighted. The Orion’s bolts melted and eroded (an issue that can only be resolved if the heat shield is addressed, according to the report). The spacecraft’s electrical system had some power distribution problems that NASA is addressing via software adjustments. Plus, the mobile launcher NASA used caused $26 million in damage, well over the $5 million NASA had allocated for cleaning up after Artemis I.

    All in all, the report had a clear message: “The Artemis I test flight revealed critical issues that need to be addressed before placing crew on the Artemis II mission,” it concluded.

    Back in January when NASA announced the delayed schedule, officials insisted they wouldn’t rush Artemis II or take any shortcuts regarding astronaut safety. Considering what can happen when you strap humans to the top of enormous rockets, fire them into space and then bring them plummeting back to earth like comets streaking through the sky, let’s hope they meant that.

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    Dianna Wray

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  • NASA’s Orion makes splashdown after a $4 billion trip to the moon that points to an eventual lunar base

    NASA’s Orion makes splashdown after a $4 billion trip to the moon that points to an eventual lunar base

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    NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

    The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius) before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants — three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors.

    NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect, as congratulations poured in from Washington..

    “I’m overwhelmed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said from Mission Control in Houston. “This is an extraordinary day … It’s historic because we are now going back into space — deep space — with a new generation.”

    The space agency needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, targeted for 2024 with four astronauts who will be revealed early next year. That would be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025 and, ultimately, a sustainable moon base. The long-term plan would be to launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.

    Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17′s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days exploring the valley of Taurus-Littrow, the longest stay of the Apollo era. They were the last of the 12 moonwalkers.

    Orion was the first capsule to visit the moon since then, launching on NASA’s new mega moon rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 16. It was the first flight of NASA’s new Artemis moon program, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister.

    “From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth,” announced Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.

    While no one was on the $4 billion test flight, NASA managers were thrilled to pull off the dress rehearsal, especially after so many years of flight delays and busted budgets. Fuel leaks and hurricanes conspired for additional postponements in late summer and fall.

    In an Apollo throwback, NASA held a splashdown party at Houston’s Johnson Space Center on Sunday, with employees and their families gathering to watch the broadcast of Orion’s homecoming. Next door, the visitor center threw a bash for the public.

    Getting Orion back intact after the 25-day flight was NASA’s top objective. With a return speed of 25,000 mph (40,000 kph) — considerably faster than coming in from low-Earth orbit — the capsule used a new, advanced heat shield never tested before in spaceflight. To reduce the gravity or G loads, it dipped into the atmosphere and briefly skipped out, also helping to pinpoint the splashdown area.

    All that unfolded in spectacular fashion, officials noted, allowing for Orion’s safe return.

    “I don’t think any one of us could have imagined a mission this successful,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

    Further inspections will be conducted once Orion is back at Kennedy by month’s end. If the capsule checks find nothing amiss, NASA will announce the first lunar crew amid considerable hoopla in early 2023, picking from among the 42 active U.S. astronauts stationed at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

    “People are anxious, we know that,” Vanessa Wyche, Johnson’s director, told reporters. Added Nelson: “The American people, just like (with) the original seven astronauts in the Mercury days, are going to want to know about these astronauts.”

    The capsule splashed down more than 300 miles (482 kilometers) south of the original target zone. Forecasts calling for choppy seas and high wind off the Southern California coast prompted NASA to switch the location.

    Orion logged 1.4 million miles (2.25 million kilometers) as it zoomed to the moon and then entered a wide, swooping orbit for nearly a week before heading home.

    It came within 80 miles (130 kilometers) of the moon twice. At its farthest, the capsule was more than 268,000 miles (430,000 kilometers) from Earth.

    Orion beamed back stunning photos of not only the gray, pitted moon, but also the home planet. As a parting shot, the capsule revealed a crescent Earth — Earthrise — that left the mission team speechless.

    Nottingham Trent University astronomer Daniel Brown said the flight’s many accomplishments illustrate NASA’s capability to put astronauts on the next Artemis moonshot.

    “This was the nail-biting end of an amazing and important journey for NASA’s Orion spacecraft,” Brown said in a statement from England.

    The moon has never been hotter. Just hours earlier Sunday, a spacecraft rocketed toward the moon from Cape Canaveral. The lunar lander belongs to ispace, a Tokyo company intent on developing an economy up there. Two U.S. companies, meanwhile, have lunar landers launching early next year.

    Our new weekly Impact Report newsletter examines how ESG news and trends are shaping the roles and responsibilities of today’s executives. Subscribe here.

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    Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press

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