Artemis: To the Moon and Back

History in the making; the inside story of the Artemis II mission around the moon and back. Four astronauts - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen - have just completed a ten-day mission going deeper into space than anyone has gone before. They are the first humans to circumnavigate the Moon since 1972.

For the last three and a half years, this Horizon Special has had privileged access inside NASA to chronicle their mission. We hear from astronauts, engineers, technicians and mission directors - exploring what it takes to mount a moonshot in the 21st Century - with further insights from some of the biggest names in space science, including Dame Dr Maggie Aderin and British astronaut Tim Peake.

The ultimate goal for Artemis is to establish a permanent presence on the lunar surface, where astronauts can live and work for weeks at a time. It’s hugely ambitious, fraught with danger and very expensive – so far, the programme has cost in excess of $90 billion.

We follow as engineers grapple with re-using existing rocket technology and adapting a faulty heatshield design - any error could have catastrophic consequences for the astronauts on board. All the while, China’s National Space Administration is heading for the same lunar real estate being targeted by NASA; the starter pistol has been fired on a new space race.

When the Artemis II rocket and capsule are ready, they roll out from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. After two delays due to fuel leaks, a launch date is set – 1st April 2026. For the crew, a three-year wait is over. Time for lift-off.

The launch is spectacular – 2.2 million kilograms of fuel are required to propel the rocket into Low Earth Orbit. From there, the spacecraft performs a series of engine burns, as the astronauts acclimatise to life in deep space, where they are exposed to the full effects of cosmic radiation beyond the protection of Earth’s magnetosphere.

On Day 6, they arrive at the Moon – in time to witness a unique solar eclipse and carry out hours of lunar observation. In the process, they name a crater after Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020 – it is a moment of high emotion for the crew.

When the lunar flyby is over, Artemis II starts its return trip to Earth – arriving back at 32 times the speed of sound. It is a critical test of the heatshield that caused so much concern on Artemis I. How will hold up to the intense heat and stress of re-entry?

And finally - with splashdown - the focus switches to future Artemis missions, when astronauts will land on the Moon and start building a base on the lunar surface. Truly, this is the dawn of a new age of space exploration.