Some say you should aim for the moon so that you land among the stars if you miss. In the case of Artemis II, the idea is to miss the moon but just barely, going around our dear old satellite before heading back home.
The Artemis II mission is the most ambitious crewed lunar mission since the glory days of the Space Race. While it is of paramount importance to NASA and the long-term goal of establishing a permanent human presence on the moon, Artemis II is also bringing people to another very important place: Kerbal Space Program.
Kerbal is Back, Baby
The hardworking people of Kerbin have been at the forefront of virtual space exploration since the game's 2015 release. Kerbals have spent the last decade testing out designs of questionable viability, with accident rates that are so grim they would ruin the Easter mood. None of that matters when things do work out, however.
The joy of a successful mission is being enjoyed by thousands of new users, however, and they have the Artemis II launch to thank for that.
As Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen set off from the John F. Kennedy...
