Artemis 2 launch: After 54 years, man again flew to the moon. Artemis 2 is just a trailer, know why NASA remembered the moon mission?

News India Live, Digital Desk: Wednesday witnessed a new era in the history of space science. A 32-storey giant rocket has set off towards the moon carrying four astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. This is the first time since the historic Apollo 17 mission of 1972 that humans are going so close to the moon. However, if you are thinking that these travelers will walk on the surface of the moon, then you are wrong. This ‘Artemis 2’ mission of NASA is just a grand rehearsal. The real feat will be seen in 2028, when after half a century man will once again set foot on the lunar surface. Why is Artemis 2 mission just a rehearsal? In this historic flight, four astronauts – Commander Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen of Canada – have been sent through NASA’s new Orion spacecraft. It is the most diverse contingent ever, including for the first time a woman, a black man and a non-US citizen. These passengers will not land on the moon during their 10-day journey, but will initially spend 25 hours in Earth’s orbit to test the capsule’s systems. After this they will move towards the Moon and passing by it will travel a distance of 6,400 kilometers. After this the capsule will take a U-turn and fall directly into the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s aim is to conduct 100 percent safe testing of its new ‘Space Launch System’ (SLS) rocket, life support system and heat shield through this mission. 54 years long silence: Why did America forget the moon? Those who saw America’s rapid Moon missions in the 60s and 70s, this question definitely arises in their minds that why did America stay away from the Moon for 54 years? There were many important reasons behind this. After winning the ‘Space Race’ with the Soviet Union in the 1960s, America proved its supremacy, after which NASA’s budget was drastically cut. Apart from this, Apollo missions were very risky and the technology of that era was weaker than today’s smartphones. In such a situation, it was not wise to risk the lives of astronauts. Later, NASA focused its entire attention on the International Space Station (ISS) and low Earth orbit. The new ‘space race’ and the increasing dominance of China have completely changed the equations of space today. China is now progressing rapidly in the space sector and is preparing to build its permanent base on the moon. America does not want to let this ‘superpower’ crown of space go into the hands of China at any cost. This is the new space race of the 21st century. Additionally, NASA’s real and ultimate goal is Mars. It is very expensive and difficult to go to Mars directly from Earth, so NASA is planning to use the Moon as a ‘base camp’ or ‘petrol pump’. Astronauts will first learn to stay on the Moon, test the technology and then make a long flight to Mars from there. Treasure of water found on the Moon and the ambitious plan of 2028. Recently, scientists have discovered a huge amount of water in the form of ice in the dark craters of the South Pole of the Moon. This water is no less than a treasure for future missions, because drinking water, oxygen and most importantly rocket fuel (hydrogen) can be prepared from it. With the help of private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, the cost of space travel has also reduced considerably. After the success of Artemis 2, NASA will launch Artemis 3 mission in 2028, under which humans will be landed directly on the south pole of the moon. NASA clearly says that this time they are not just going to plant the flag, but their aim is to build a ‘Lunar Gateway’ space station in the moon’s orbit and lay the foundation for establishing a permanent settlement there.