TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – NASA’s Artemis Two crew returned to Earth after a historic journey around the moon, with the capsule splashing down off the coast of California.
The mission marks a major step toward returning humans to the lunar surface. Artemis Two launched April 1, sending a crew on a lunar flyby to test systems needed for future moon landings.
The last time a mission like this happened was more than 50 years ago. Three scientists from the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson have been selected by NASA to support future Artemis missions.
That includes helping plan for a crewed landing near the moon’s south pole. Amanda Hendrix, Planetary Science Institute director, explained their role.
“We’ve got PSI scientists working on the science team to figure out what science those astronauts on the moon are going to do and how they are going to execute the whole science plan,” Hendrix said.
Hendrix says missions like this one are critical, helping scientists better understand the moon and prepare for future exploration.