The Artemis 2 mission, set to happen next year, will be the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years! The last time humans ventured to the moon was in 1972 with Apollo 17.

"The test helps prepare the team for all the operations needed for launch," said officials from the Kennedy Space Center. 

2024's Artemis 2 will be a fly-by of the moon (the crew will not land on the surface). The crew includes NASA commander Reid Wiseman, NASA pilot Victor Glover (who will be the first person of colour to leave Earth's orbit), NASA mission specialist Christina Koch (the first woman to leave Earth's orbit), and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen (the first non-American).

In the next few months before launch, NASA are ensuring to properly test the system, leaning on lessons learned from Artemis 1 which suffered a few technical issues and delays. Tests will look at the water flow systems, hydrogen tank systems, emergency egress procedures, and environmental controls. 

Watch this space for the historic crewed lunar mission next year.