Humans have not dared to leave the planet more than a few hundred miles since the return of Apollo 17, NASA’s last mission to the Moon, in 1972. use what is found there to answer questions about how the solar system formed.

Astronauts in 2023 are very different from when the United States was in the race to beat the Soviet Union on the Moon. During the Apollo program, 24 astronauts flew to the moon, 12 of them set foot on the surface. All of them were Americans. They were all white males, many of whom were test pilots.

This time around, the astronaut troop reflects a much wider range of society.

This is Reed Wiseman, mission commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, Mission Specialist; and Jeremy Hansen, also a mission specialist. The first three are NASA astronauts, and Mr. Hansen is a member of the Canadian Space Agency.

“When we were selecting astronauts back then,” Mr. Glover said in an interview, “we intended to select the same person, just a few copies.”

Ms. Koch will be the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit, and Mr. Hansen, as a Canadian, the first non-American to travel so far.

– So I’m excited? Ms. Koch said during a crew launch event at Ellington Field, a small airport used by NASA for astronaut training. “Absolutely. But my real question is: Are you excited?”

The assembled crowd applauded in response.

The mission is an important step in NASA’s Artemis program to send astronauts back to the lunar surface to explore cold regions near the lunar south pole. Water ice found in deep, dark craters could provide water and oxygen for future astronauts, as well as fuel for deeper space missions.

“Together we go—to the Moon, to Mars, and beyond,” said Bill Nelson, NASA administrator.

But the four astronauts aboard the next Artemis II mission won’t land on the moon.

Instead, travelers will embark on a 10-day trip around the moon and return to Earth. It is currently scheduled for the end of next year.

“This is an exciting time for the people of Artemis, no doubt about it,” Harrison Schmitt, the last surviving Apollo 17 astronaut, said in an interview. He added that many people “do not fully realize that we are about three generations away from any human experience in deep space, and this is probably the most important part of the mission.”

Dr. Schmitt, who is also a former United States Senator from New Mexico, said he’s not necessarily surprised it took so long. “I’d say I’m disappointed,” he said. “Many things conspired to stop the Apollo program and keep us from returning for a while.”

Mr. Hansen noted that the United States could have carried out the Artemis missions on its own, but opted to join forces instead. international cooperation with Canada and the European Space Agency. The agreement reserved a seat for a Canadian astronaut on Artemis II. “All of Canada is grateful for such global thinking and such leadership,” Mr. Hansen said.

Mr. Glover, who was the first black crew member on the International Space Station, said diversity is “an important goal for the agency and our partners.”

“But it also had to happen organically because we have a corps that represents America so well,” he said.

As the name of the mission suggests, Artemis II will be the second in NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis I was launched last November as an unmanned test of the space launch system, NASA’s giant new rocket, and the Orion astronaut capsule. The Orion spacecraft spent two weeks in orbit around the Moon before returning to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

After years of delay – development of the rocket took longer than originally promised – the Artemis I mission went smoothly for the most part, although there were some problems. The Orion’s heat shield protected the spacecraft as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, but sheared off more than expected.

Artemis II, with four astronauts on board, will allow a full test of Orion’s life support systems. Then NASA officials will feel more confident about the longer and more difficult Artemis III mission, during which two astronauts will land near the south pole.

Mr. Wiseman, Mr. Glover and Ms. Koch said they are not disappointed that Artemis II’s crew membership rules out the possibility of walking on the moon during Artemis III.

“It may sound cliché,” Mr. Wiseman said, “but just flying on any of these missions is a huge thing. It’s incredible. I like the idea of ​​going beyond the moon.”

He added: “Watching our fellow astronauts walk on the Moon will be a success for us.”

After a long day of interviews with reporters, four astronauts left the Johnson Space Center, escorted by a police escort, to NRG Stadium in Houston to watch the NCAA men’s basketball championship game between the University of Connecticut and San Diego State University.

NASA is currently aiming for the first moon landing to take place in late 2025, but NASA’s Inspector General has predicted the mission will be pushed back to 2026 or later. The Artemis III mission requires the use of Starship – a giant spacecraft being developed by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company – to carry two astronauts from a distant lunar orbit to the surface. The first test launch of Starship into space could take place in the coming weeks.

In the 1960s, the space race reflected the geopolitical struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union. Once the race was won, interest in the Moon from the public, politicians, and even NASA faded.

This time, too, there are geopolitical echoes. China also plans to send astronauts to the moon in the coming years. But it’s not just governments that are aiming for the moon right now.

Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese billionaire, has bought a starship trip that will orbit the moon, similar to the trajectory that Artemis II will follow. Dennis Tito, an entrepreneur who was the first space tourist to visit the International Space Station in 2001, and his wife Akiko booked seats on a separate space trip around the Moon.

Five decades ago, it would have been like a billionaire buying the Saturn V rocket that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon.

Today, it seems almost inevitable that tourist footprints will cross the surface of the moon in the coming years.

In an interview with Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut who retired in 2013 after three spaceflights, compared space travel to the dawn of aviation. The wobbly craft built by the Wright brothers in 1903 flew, but with difficulty. But there was almost progress. The first flight of the Dutch airline KLM was made in 1920.

“Seventeen years from the Wright brothers to a profitable airline that still exists,” Mr. Hadfield said.

He added that innovations have significantly reduced the cost of leaving Earth.

“You can see that the cost will continue to come down as vehicles get better validated and that will increase access and opportunity,” said Mr Hadfield.

For astronauts Artemis II Dr. Schmitt’s advice was simple: “Just enjoy,” he said.

Vyosa Isai another Jesus Jimenez made a report.

Samsung’s foldable phones are slowly getting better and better with each release, but the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 is about to get the biggest change. Several new renders have surfaced showing off its new large display and slim design.

We liked the Galaxy Z Flip 4 in our review, but the small 1.9-inch display on the outside is still one of its biggest drawbacks, just like previous generations. And while we’ve been hearing rumors of a bigger external screen for months, this could be our first serious look.

Popular insider @OnLeaks took to Twitter and became a partner of the site. MediaPeanuts share a collection of CAD renderings of Samsung’s upcoming foldable phone. These are fan renders based on official information and he is usually very accurate with every leak.

These latest images of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 reportedly “confirm” that a massive 3.4-inch screen will grace the exterior of the Flip 5. It’s not just a square or rectangle, as a small notch extends down into the camera array.

We hear that the small notch not only helps it to be the largest external screen on a phone with this folding design style, but also can be used as an external notification bar, displaying useful information at a glance. Then, thanks to the large 3.4-inch external screen, users can launch applications, control music, take photos, and more. We assume Samsung’s OneUI software will take full advantage of the extra screen real estate.

The leak also mentions the dimensions of the device, stating that it is slightly thinner than the Flip 4, suggesting less clearance between the screens and the hinge when folded.

Other specs include a similar 6.7-inch FHD display inside, a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, dual rear cameras, longer battery life, and a July release date with an expected $999 price tag. We’ll have to wait and see.

by using MediaPeanuts