Here's What You Need To Know About NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission

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More than 50 years after humans last ventured beyond Earth orbit, NASA is preparing for a ⁠historic return⁠ to deep space. The ⁠Artemis II mission⁠, set to launch no earlier than Wednesday, April 1, will send ⁠four astronauts⁠ on a 10-day journey around the moon, with extensive real-time coverage available online.

NASA’s Artemis program is designed as a step-by-step return to the moon, ultimately culminating in a permanent moonbase:

- Artemis I – Uncrewed test flight that successfully orbited the moon and returned to Earth (completed in 2022)

- Artemis II – First crewed mission, flying astronauts around the moon (expected April 2026)

- Artemis III – Planned mission to test systems ahead of a lunar landing (expected 2027)

- Artemis IV – Expected to deliver astronauts to the moon’s surface, targeting the south pole (expected 2028–2029)

- Artemis V – A follow-up mission aimed at expanding lunar exploration capabilities (expected 2029–2030)

Meet The Artemis II Crew

The mission will carry four astronauts: commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist ⁠Christina Koch⁠ — all from NASA — and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

Their journey will mark several historic milestones, including the first time a woman, a Black man and a non-American astronaut travel beyond low-Earth orbit toward the moon. Over approximately 10 days, the crew will test critical systems aboard the Orion spacecraft, including life-support technology designed for deep-space missions.