Exploration Mission 2

Exploration Mission 2

Mission type	Manned Lunar Flyby
Operator	NASA
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Orion MPCV
Start of mission
Launch date	August 2021[1]
Rocket	SLS Block 1B[2]
Launch site	Kennedy LC-39B[3]
End of mission
Landing site	Pacific Ocean[4]
Orion Program ← EM-1 EM-3 →

The Exploration Mission 2 or EM-2 is scheduled to be the first crewed mission of NASA's Orion on the Space Launch System. The mission is to restart manned exploration of the Solar System. NASA is aiming to launch between 2021 and 2023,^[5] with a crew to perform a practice flyby of a captured asteroid in lunar orbit.^[6] This mission is expected to be the first time Americans will have left low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972.

Mission

EM-2 is a single-launch mission of a Space Launch System Block IB with an Exploration Upper Stage, lunar Block 1 Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), and a payload insertion of 50.7 t. It is to be an 8 day mission with a crew of four astronauts, sent on a free return trajectory around the Moon.^[7]

References

1. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-first-flight-with-crew-will-mark-important-step-on-journey-to-mars
2. Bergin, Chris (23 February 2012). "Acronyms to Ascent – SLS managers create development milestone roadmap". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
3. Hill, Bill (March 2012). "Exploration Systems Development Status" (PDF). NASA Advisory Council. Retrieved 2012-07-21.
4. Bergin, Chris (14 June 2012). "NASA teams evaluating ISS-built Exploration Platform roadmap". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 2012-07-21.
5. Wall, Mike (10 September 2015). "NASA's Orion Space Capsule on Course for 2018 Trip Around the Moon". Space.com. Retrieved 2016-09-14.
6. Foust, Jeff (March 25, 2015). "NASA Selects Boulder Option for Asteroid Redirect Mission". Space News. Retrieved 2015-03-27.
7. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-first-flight-with-crew-will-mark-important-step-on-journey-to-mars

External links

• details about the mission