Astronauts aboard the upcoming Artemis II mission will travel beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field, exposing them to what experts call galactic cosmic radiation, according to experts.

The countdown has begun toward humanity’s first launch to the moon in 53 years.

Artemis II will send four astronauts around the moon in the first crewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion Spacecraft.

NASA’s shift from Apollo to Artemis signals a new era of moon exploration centered on inclusion, sustainability and a long-term human presence beyond Earth.

As astronaut Christina Koch prepares to become the first woman to orbit the moon on Artemis II, a NASA engineer argues the milestone should spark a broader conversation about representation — and whether “female” should still be part of the headline.