• [Dailystar Icon]
• News
• World News
• Nasa

Artemis 2 astronauts enter quarantine as NASA moon rocket reaches launchpad

NASA's Artemis II mission reaches a major milestone as four astronauts begin 14-day quarantine whilst the massive moon rocket arrives at Cape Canaveral launchpad ahead of historic lunar flyby

A revolutionary chapter in space exploration is poised to begin as NASA's Artemis II mission has reached a crucial milestone. On Thursday evening, March 19, the enormous moon rocket travelled to the launchpad for a second attempt, whilst the astronauts preparing for the journey watched developments through screens from their quarantine facilities.

The rocket completed its journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to LC-39B, finishing an roughly 10-hour overnight transfer. Meanwhile, the Artemis II crew - Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen - all began a 14-day quarantine period on March 18, with a possible launch window opening as early as April 1.

During this quarantine phase, medical staff will carry out health evaluations of the astronauts, with further examinations planned just before departure to identify any signs of potential illness.

[Artemis 2 - SLS Rollout #2]

NASA's Artemis II mission has taken a historic leap forward(Image: Getty)

"We choose to isolate the crew for 14 days before a launch because most infectious diseases take 10 to 14 days to be transferred from one person to another," said Dr Raffi Kuyumjian, the Canadian Space Agency's flight surgeon.

This safeguarding environment also includes support staff, technical personnel and family members who may opt to get involved as well.

The crew members will be thoroughly familiar with the quarantine process, as this constitutes their third encounter, following two previous aborted launch attempts.

[Artemis 2 - SLS Rollout #2]

Artemis 2 - SLS Rollout #2(Image: Getty)

Artemis II was slated for a February take-off, but NASA was forced to cancel the launch attempt and return the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building in Cape Canaveral for repairs after detecting a helium leak, according to the Express.

Engineers have verified that the issue has been rectified and are hopeful that a final round of tests at the launch pad will enable the rocket to take off in early April.

NASA is aiming for 6.24pm Eastern Daylight Time on April 1 - 11.24pm UK time - for Artemis II's initial launch attempt. Alternative launch windows are available on April 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 if the first date proves unsuccessful. If all these opportunities elapse, the month's last launch window will occur on April 30.

[Astronauts will be sent around the Moon for the first time in 50 years]

Astronauts will be sent around the Moon for the first time in 50 years(Image: NASA)

The mission involves a 10-day manned voyage that will ferry four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, which will serve as the exploration vehicle.

It will signify the first human lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972, paving the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon's surface once more.

[Dailystar Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Star as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.