'Pretty wicked awesome': Artemis II astronauts visit KSC, see Orion capsule for upcoming mission

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Artemis II astronauts were able to see the actual capsule they’ll call home during their trip around the moon next year. 

Since being selected for the historic mission back in April, it’s been a frenzy of travel and training for the international team of four. The crew stopped by Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on Tuesday to see the Orion spacecraft which is building on 50 years of space research.

"That little spacecraft right there is going to hold these four little humans, and we’re going to go on a nine-day journey 250,000 miles away from Earth. That is pretty wicked awesome," said Reis Wiseman, an Artemis II astronaut.

Training for this unique mission is quite a bit different for vets who’ve spent time at the International Space Station.

"We are focusing just on that vehicle. We are learning the science of course that we are going to be able to do with the observations of the moon, but it’s a much smaller role," said astronaut Christina Hammock Koch.

The international team is made up of 3 U.S. citizens and one Canadian who aren’t taking the mission lightly. They know their role will pave the way to put humans back on the moon and eventually travel to Mars.

"The international cooperation, and the peace and unity that it represents not just between countries but hopefully within our country is an important distinction between Artemis and Apollo," added Victor Glover.

For the time being, a huge warehouse at KSC is holding the tools that will take NASA back to the moon. The Orion spacecraft is in one part of the facility and will soon pair up with the service module in another section of the building. That module holds all the life support systems for the astronauts.

"This mission is not without risk for sure, and I worry about that," Wiseman added. "I think everybody worries about that."

Those risks are addressed through rigorous testing. The most recent test has the spacecraft surrounded with speakers which will blast sound to simulate a launch, seeing if it can withstand the stressors. Jeremy Hansen says through his training, he’s "really realizing just how much effort it takes to actually go to the moon and come back alive and the number of people that are involved in that."

Inside the Orion spacecraft, there’s exercise equipment, a bathroom, and a galley. The goal is to make the astronauts comfortable as they make history.

NASA is eyeing November 2024 to launch the Artemis II team.