Why 'Slingshot' Around The Moon? And Other Artemis II Questions
Why 'Slingshot' Around The Moon? And Other Artemis II Questions  
Podcast: The Brian Lehrer Show
Published On: Tue Apr 07 2026
Description: Jackie Faherty, astrophysicist and science educator at the American Museum of Natural History, explains the Artemis II mission, which marks the first time since 1972 that a crewed spacecraft has traveled to the 'lunar neighborhood,' beyond Earth's gravitational sphere of influence. Plus, listeners call in with their questions about the mission, and the future of lunar exploration. Photo: NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon. (Credit: NASA, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)