We Are Going Back to the Moon (Like, Actually This Time!)
- Tanisha Grover
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Okay, pause everything.
If you’ve been following AstroThink for a while, you know I’m obsessed with the "what ifs." What if we lived on Mars? What if we could see dark matter? But today, I’m not talking about a "what if." I’m talking about something that is actually happening—and it’s happening right now.
For the first time in over 50 years, humans are leaving low-Earth orbit. We are going back to the Moon.
I just finished listening to the latest episode of NASA’s podcast regarding the Artemis II mission, and honestly, I have chills. Four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—are going to strap themselves into the Orion spacecraft and slingshot around the Moon.
But here is the catch: Space is really, really dangerous. And NASA has a very specific acronym to remind everyone exactly how dangerous.
The R.I.D.G.E. of Risk
In the podcast, they broke down the five major hazards that the crew will face using the acronym RIDGE. It sounds like a mountain range, but it’s actually a checklist of everything trying to kill you in deep space.
Here is the breakdown I scribbled in my notebook while listening:
R is for Space Radiation: This is the big invisible enemy. On Earth, our magnetic field protects us like a force field. Out near the Moon? Not so much. The crew will be exposed to cosmic radiation that can damage their DNA and increase cancer risk.
I is for Isolation: Imagine being stuck in a minivan with three friends for 10 days... without being able to open a window or get out. The psychological toll of being confined in a tiny space is huge. It affects sleep, mood, and performance.
D is for Distance: This is the scary one. On the International Space Station, Earth is a quick trip away. On Artemis II, they will be over 200,000 miles from home. If something goes wrong, they can’t just turn around or call 911. They have to be their own doctors and mechanics.
G is for Gravity Fields: The astronauts are going to experience three different types of gravity: Earth’s gravity on launch, weightlessness in space, and then the crushing force of re-entry. These shifts wreak havoc on the body—messing with balance, vision, and even bone density.
E is for Hostile/Closed Environments: The capsule is both a home and a machine. The air is recycled, the water is recycled, and the space is tight. This risk covers everything from high CO2 levels to toxic dust and germs that thrive in a closed loop. It’s a biological balancing act to keep the crew healthy.
But It's Not Just Danger—It's Cool Tech & People
Aside from the scary stuff, the podcast dropped some fascinating details about what life will actually look like on board:
The "Orion" is Tiny but Mighty: The capsule where the astronauts will live is about the size of two minivans. The engineering required to keep them alive (and friends!) in that space is mind-blowing.
The Bathroom Situation: Yes, they talked about it! The podcast dives into the new waste management systems on Orion. It sounds gross, but when you're 200,000 miles from Earth, a working toilet is basically the most important piece of technology you have.
Representation Matters: This isn't just about the tech. This crew includes the first woman (Christina Koch) and the first person of color (Victor Glover) to ever travel to deep space. Seeing a crew that actually looks like the rest of us going to the Moon? That’s the future I want to be a part of.
Why You Should Care
It’s easy to feel like space is far away and irrelevant to high school life. But this mission is testing the technology that will eventually take our generation to Mars.
The astronauts are currently in quarantine (yep, just like we were, but for a much cooler reason) preparing for launch. This isn't history books stuff. This is news.
You can listen to the full podcast episode here to get all the nerdy details on RIDGE and the crew training: Listen to the Artemis II Update on Spotify
And if you want to geek out over the official mission plan, check out NASA’s page here: NASA Artemis II Mission Overview
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