Artemis II Crew Leaves Earth’s Orbit En Route to Moon

The Artemis II astronauts left Earth and went to the moon on Thursday. They used their main engine to go very fast, reaching 24,500 mph. This speed is needed to escape Earth’s pull.

The crew included Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from Canada. They carefully checked their engine firing, which added 867 mph to their speed. The engine ran for nearly six minutes at a high point of 115 miles above Earth. After the engine stopped, their spacecraft was on a path that would take them around the moon and back to Earth.

Hansen shared the crew’s excitement with mission control in Houston. He said they felt the support of everyone who worked on the Artemis project. Hansen also mentioned the view of Earth from space.

NASA plans to have more moon flights in the future. Artemis II is an important mission. It helps test the spacecraft and plans for future landings on the moon. NASA wants to land astronauts near the moon’s south pole by 2028, with more flights planned next year.

How much do you know?

How fast did the Artemis II astronauts travel to escape Earth's pull?

24,500 mph

20,000 mph

18,000 mph

30,000 mph

Which astronaut is from Canada?

Reid Wiseman

Victor Glover

Christina Koch

Jeremy Hansen

How long did the engine run during the launch?

Three minutes

Four minutes

Five minutes

Nearly six minutes

What height did the spacecraft reach above Earth during the launch?

100 miles

115 miles

120 miles

150 miles

What is the main goal of the Artemis II mission?

To land on Mars

To test the spacecraft for future moon landings

To establish a space station

To collect samples from asteroids

By what year does NASA plan to land astronauts near the moon's south pole?

2024

2026

2028

2030

Artemis II astronauts left Earth on Wednesday.

True False

The Artemis II mission includes astronauts from various countries.

True False

The crew felt isolated during their journey.

True False

NASA plans to have more moon flights in the future.

True False

Jeremy Hansen is the only Canadian astronaut on the mission.

True False

The spacecraft's engine added 867 mph to their speed.

True False

The Artemis II astronauts reached Earth’s pull at a speed of mph.

The crew included Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Hansen.

The engine ran for nearly minutes at a high point of 115 miles above Earth.

Hansen shared the crew's excitement with mission control in .

NASA wants to land astronauts near the moon's pole by 2028.

The spacecraft's engine added mph to their speed.

This question is required