NASA’s Artemis II mission will send four astronauts to the Moon after nearly 50 years. This will be the first crewed mission since Apollo to travel beyond low-Earth orbit, marking a historic step in human space exploration.
Over the years, scientists have searched the Moon for signs of water and valuable minerals. NASA’s Apollo 17 mission revealed many important facts about the lunar surface, but after that mission, hopes of finding water on the Moon had largely faded.
India’s Chandrayaan Mission Revived Hope of Water on the Moon
In 2008, India’s space agency ISRO, through its Chandrayaan-1 mission, detected water molecules on the Moon’s surface. This discovery changed global understanding of the Moon and reignited scientific interest. India’s achievement provided new hope and reshaped future lunar exploration strategies.
India’s Role in the Artemis Program
India is playing an important role in the global race to return to the Moon. With ISRO’s collaboration, researchers at IISc laboratories are working on developing “lunar bricks”—a technology aimed at building structures on the Moon using lunar soil.
This innovation supports NASA’s broader Artemis program, which aims to move human spaceflight beyond short missions and establish a long-term human presence around and on the Moon.
Artemis II: First Crewed Mission Beyond Low-Earth Orbit Since Apollo
The next major milestone is Artemis II, which will be the first human spaceflight to travel beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo era. Earlier this week, NASA began preparations to launch the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
After several days of transporting the rocket to Launch Complex 39B, the four Artemis II astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—entered quarantine as part of pre-launch protocols.
Launch Delayed After Technical Issue
During a wet dress rehearsal, engineers detected a leak in the rocket, leading NASA to postpone the planned launch window until March. The agency is continuing technical checks to ensure mission safety.
