Kennedy Space Center/Washington: “I looked down from the window of the space station and there stood history.” When Chris Williams, the only American astronaut present on the International Space Station (ISS), turned the lens of his camera towards Florida, he saw under the clouds that powerful rocket which is going to take humans to the threshold of the moon again. On Saturday, when the Artemis II rocket was brought to launch pad 39B, Chris took a very special picture of it from space. Although Chris joked on social media that he should have taken a better lens, the shadow of the rocket seen on the right side of the launch pad in that photo has won the hearts of space lovers all over the world. This shadow is witness to the mission starting from 6 February 2026 under which humans will again step towards the moon after 50 years.

Artemis II: Why is this mission special?
Artemis II is the first manned mission to the Moon since the Apollo era. In this mission, four astronauts will board the Orion capsule. Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen will not only land on the moon’s surface, but will also use its gravitational power to circle behind it like a slingshot and return to Earth. This journey will be the longest distance ever covered by any human being.

Artemis II mission: 5 big questions

Question 1: What is the probable launch date of Artemis II mission?
Answer: According to the latest update from NASA, Artemis II rocket can be launched on 6 February 2026. At present the rocket is standing ready on launch pad 39B.

Question 2: Who took the photo of the rocket from space and from where?
Answer: This photo was taken by NASA astronaut Chris Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). He is the only American citizen currently present there.

Question 3: Which astronauts are involved in this mission?
Answer: This mission includes Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. All four will travel to the moon while staying inside the Orion capsule.

Question 4: What is the role of the Orion capsule and SLS rocket?
Answer: The SLS rocket (Space Launch System) will send the capsule out of Earth’s orbit. After this, the Orion capsule will separate and start its journey towards the moon.

Question 5: What is the main objective of the Artemis II mission?
Answer: Its purpose is to prepare for permanent settlement of humans on the Moon in the future and to test systems for long space travel.