Anonymous14 days ago
NASA rolled its 322-foot Space Launch System rocket to Launch Complex 39B on March 20, 2026, setting the stage for Artemis 2's April 1 launch — the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The 10-day lunar flyby will carry four astronauts around the Moon on a free-return trajectory, testing life support, navigation, and the Orion spacecraft's heat shield, which shed material unexpectedly during the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission. With a $93 billion program price tag, ongoing debates over SLS costs versus commercial alternatives, and China targeting a crewed lunar landing by 2030, the mission carries technical, fiscal, and geopolitical stakes that extend well beyond its 10-day flight plan.