Moon Mission and Space Station Trip Create a Complex Schedule
Two major space events are happening at the same time, making things a bit tricky for the team making it all happen. One is the first trip around the moon in over 50 years. The other is a trip to the International Space Station. Because of the cold weather affecting the country, including Florida where the launches happen, these two events have to be carefully coordinated.
There's a rush to get the team heading to the International Space Station into space. This is because the team that's already there had to come back to Earth early because of a medical problem with one of the astronauts. The overlap of these two events is a good sign of how much progress is being made in getting people back into space from American soil. But it's also creating a tricky situation.
The Needs of the Moon Mission
At the moment, the mission to the moon, called Artemis 2, is the priority. It's set to happen as early as the second week of February. But there's a lot that needs to happen first. There's a practice run where they fuel the rocket that's set to take the astronauts to the moon. The outcome of this practice run affects the timing of both events.
If everything goes smoothly with the practice run and the moon mission launches on schedule, the trip to the International Space Station could be delayed until late February. The moon mission is taking four astronauts, including one from the Canadian Space Agency, on a 10-day trip around the moon and back. It's a big deal because it's the first mission like this since 1972, and it requires a lot of focus and resources.
Overlapping Resources
There are a lot of things that need to be worked out because of these two events happening at the same time. For example, the same military vessels at different points around the world are used for both missions. These vessels are where the crew capsules can land and be recovered if something goes wrong and they have to abort the mission.
Another overlap is where the astronauts get ready for their flight. They typically use the same room where the crew stays. But for the trip to the International Space Station, they have the option to use a different room.
Timing Scenarios
The timing of the trip to the International Space Station is really dependent on how things go with the moon mission. If the moon mission has to delay its launch, then the trip to the International Space Station could happen as early as the second week of February. So there are a lot of different scenarios depending on what happens.
The International Space Station Trip
The trip to the International Space Station will be launching with a different type of rocket. It's going to send two NASA astronauts, one astronaut from the European Space Agency, and one cosmonaut into orbit. They'll be staying at the International Space Station for at least eight months, which is longer than the usual six-month stay. This will be the second time in space for two of them, while the other two are making their first trip.
During their time at the International Space Station, they'll be doing a lot of important work. They'll be maintaining the station and conducting several research experiments. The research they'll be doing is exciting because it's not just about what can benefit astronauts in real-time on the space station. It's also about future exploration missions and has many impacts back here on Earth as well.