A British satellite earth station is playing a crucial role in Nasa's Artemis II mission to the Moon.
Goonhilly Earth Station, located near Helston, Cornwall, will track the Orion spacecraft on its journey around the lunar surface and back to Earth.
This marks Nasa's first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, set to send astronauts deeper into space than any human has ventured before.
The 322-foot rocket, carrying four crew members, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 6.36pm local time on April 1.
The elite team had entered the capsule several hours earlier where they will remain for the next 10 days with about as much room as a small camper van.
Prior to them boarding, more than 700,000 gallons of fuel (2.6 million litres) was loaded into the spacecraft.
As they headed to the launch pad, the three Americans and one Canadian waved and shaped their hands into hearts to well-wishers.
Goonhilly Earth Station has been involved in events such as broadcasting the Apollo 11 Moon landing to the world in 1969, and landing a commercial spacecraft on the Moon for the first time.
In 2022, the site previously provided critical communication and tracking support for Nasa’s Artemis I.
Speaking ahead of the mission, Matthew Cosby, chief technology officer of the Goonhilly Earth Station, said: “Artemis II marks a significant milestone in humanity’s return to the Moon, and we’re proud that the capabilities developed here in Cornwall are contributing to that mission.
“From our site, we will support tracking of the Orion spacecraft, showcasing our readiness for future crewed Artemis missions.
“At the same time, we are positioning the UK to play a key role in Nasa’s longer-term Moon to Mars exploration strategy.”
Goonhilly is also working with the UK Space Agency and Nasa to explore solutions for near-real time space weather measurements.
Baroness Lloyd, the UK government minister responsible for space, added: “From broadcasting the Apollo 11 Moon landing to the world in 1969, to now supporting Nasa’s return to the Moon with Artemis II, Goonhilly’s rich heritage in space communication continues to inspire.
“It’s fantastic to see Cornwall once again at the heart of a truly historic moment in human spaceflight.
“This partnership with Nasa shows what British expertise and innovation can achieve on the world stage, while creating opportunities for skilled jobs and growth right here in the UK.”
At a press conference on Monday night UK time, leaders at Nasa hailed international collaboration as they confirmed the vehicle, system and crew were ready.
Associate administrator of Nasa, Amit Kshatriya, told reporters: “This crew is an international crew for a reason. One of the most amazing things about the space station, I think the most amazing thing, was the partnership that was developed to operate that machine.
“As I said in my opening, we’re going to need the free nations of the world to collaborate to build even more ambitious architectures as we expand our range of action throughout the solar system.
“There’s no question in my mind partnership is fundamental to that.”
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director, called it “an exciting time for this team and our crew and really our nation and the world”.
Chief flight director Emily Nelson said: “The opportunity is immense for us to finally get the opportunity to send our crew farther than anyone’s gone before, and it’s an incredible moment for the Artemis generation and we’re excited and we are ready to press.”
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