This week, the Artemis II crew successfully reached Earth's natural satellite, a milestone aimed at gathering crucial information for future crewed missions to the lunar surface. This event has captivated the attention of professionals, experts, and astronomy enthusiasts, particularly at the Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell (Astronomical Group of Sabadell).
“"It's incredible to experience something like this. It's been 54 years since the last time, and I, like many members of the Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell, hadn't been born yet. We've always read about it, watched videos of the Apollos, or been told how it was, but we are very excited to see images almost live."
Although the Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell did not organize special activities for the launch or have anything planned for the spacecraft's return, which will splash down this Friday evening, its members have followed the mission individually with great interest. Morral emphasizes that the astronomical community celebrates the resurgence of interest in space and the investment in this field.
“"In a world where we spend money on weapons, an event like this with so much science and technology brings a bit of positive light for everyone, which is also good."
According to Miquel Sureda, an aeronautical engineer and professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, the current expedition does not provide much new scientific information but is an essential preparatory step for the Artemis IV mission, which plans for astronauts to return to the lunar surface. NASA aims to establish bases on the Moon in the next decade, a development that keeps the astronomy world eagerly anticipating technological and scientific advancements.
Enthusiasts already have a key date marked on their calendars: August 12, when a total eclipse will be observable, an event that Morral describes as "the event of the year" and will be visible from Parc de Catalunya in Sabadell.
