NASA's 'Moonbound' generates excitement for its monumental Artemis II mission.

      The first episode can be viewed for free on NASA's website.

      As NASA's initial mission to the moon in 50 years approaches, expected to launch in just a few months, the agency has unveiled the premiere episode of a new series centered on this eagerly awaited endeavor.

      Moonbound — Charting the Course has a runtime of 22 minutes and provides an in-depth look at the preparations underway for the 10-day Artemis II mission, which will involve four astronauts traveling around the moon before returning to Earth.

      This mission will serve as the first crewed test of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, setting the groundwork for the crewed Artemis III lunar landing, which could happen as soon as 2027.

      In 2022, NASA successfully flew both the rocket and the spacecraft for the first time during the Artemis I mission.

      "When crew is on board, it becomes more than just a test flight,” states John Honeycutt, the chair of the mission management team, in the video. “This mission must perform, and it will perform as well, if not better, than the previous one… there is no doubt about it."

      At the 12:10 timestamp, the video outlines the expected trajectory of the Artemis II mission in considerable detail, including the launch from Kennedy Space Center, the lunar flyby, and the ocean splashdown.

      After spending a few days in an elliptical orbit around the Earth to assess the Orion capsule's performance in manual mode, the crew will proceed to the moon, coming within just 3,300 miles of the lunar surface during their flight around our nearest celestial neighbor.

      "We'll position the spacecraft to give you the best view of the moon that anyone has had in the last 50 years," remarks Jeff Radigan, the lead flight director for Artemis II. "We want to capture the views of the moon that everyone on Earth wants to see, while also confirming that all our systems operate correctly on the far side of the moon."

      The mission will culminate with a crucial splashdown following a rapid re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. This phase is particularly significant, as the Artemis I mission highlighted some challenges with the Orion's heat shield, which NASA has since addressed.

      Looking ahead, NASA aims to leverage the Artemis program to establish a lunar base for extended human missions and to utilize insights gained from these lunar missions to prepare for the first crewed mission to Mars.

      Moonbound — Charting the Course is available for free viewing on NASA’s website.

      Not too long ago, Trevor relocated from a tea-loving island nation with left-hand driving (Britain) to another (Japan)…

      The ISS crew recently enjoyed a movie night, likely avoiding these six films.

      Just as passengers typically avoid movies like "Alive" during flights, the ISS crew presumably steers clear of certain films in orbit to maintain a relaxed atmosphere. With that in mind, here are six movies they might want to skip on future movie nights, along with one they can certainly enjoy...

      Gravity (2013)

      NASA astronaut to make history with Thursday's launch to the ISS.

      Something special is happening with Chris Williams' launch to the ISS.

      NASA is preparing to send one of its astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in what appears to be the first Thanksgiving Day launch of an American crew member. Launching early Thursday ET from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Chris Williams will travel to orbit alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

      Watch these upcoming moon travelers test their space kitchen.

      The Artemis II astronauts will be consuming meals aboard the Orion spacecraft for ten days while flying around the moon.

      Being an astronaut may be exciting, but living in orbit has its downsides. For instance, the food options are somewhat limited compared to what one can enjoy on Earth, although scientists have worked over the years to expand the variety available to astronauts. While early space food consisted of unappetizing tubes and bland freeze-dried powders, astronauts can now enjoy diverse menus that closely resemble traditional meals on Earth.