The King has sent his “heartfelt good wishes” and an impassioned environmental plea to astronauts preparing for Nasa’s first Moon mission in over 50 years. The royal message was addressed to Colonel Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian crew member, where Charles is head of state.
In his letter, the monarch expressed hope that the voyage would renew the crew’s conviction “that we must learn from the lessons of how we have over-exploited and polluted our own planet”. He also stressed the importance of ensuring “that the Moon remains a beacon of peaceful scientific discovery rather than a theatre of exploitation”.
The Artemis II mission, a 10-day lunar flyby, will send the crew some 252,000 miles into space, surpassing the Apollo 13 record of 248,000 miles. The astronauts are due to launch from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday, pending weather and technical checks.
The King launched the Astra Carta initiative in 2023, promoting sustainable space exploration. The UK is contributing via Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, which will help track the capsule.
The mission was postponed by two months due to hydrogen fuel leaks and clogged helium lines. Nasa aims to land a crew on the Moon by 2028, before China’s planned landing around 2030.
