NASA is conducting final preparations for the Artemis II mission, which aims to send four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby, marking the first human deep space mission beyond low Earth orbit since 1972. The mission, utilizing the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, is currently targeting a launch window that opens as early as February 6, 2026, with additional opportunities extending through April. Artemis II is designed to test critical systems with a human crew and set the stage for future lunar landings planned under the broader Artemis program.
Mission Overview and Objectives
Artemis II is scheduled as the second mission of NASA's Artemis program and the first to carry a crew. Its primary objective is to test the Orion spacecraft's life-support, propulsion, power, and navigation systems with humans aboard. The crew will not land on the Moon but will perform a looping trajectory around its far side, traveling approximately 230,000 miles from Earth. The mission includes an initial period in Earth orbit to test life support and manual flight capabilities, followed by a trans-lunar injection burn to send the spacecraft towards the Moon. Orion will then use a "free-return trajectory," leveraging the Moon's gravity to slingshot back towards Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
The mission will also gather biomedical data on human physiology beyond low Earth orbit and test the spacecraft's radiation shelter. Depending on the precise trajectory, the Artemis II crew may travel further from Earth than any previous crewed mission, potentially surpassing the record set by Apollo 13.
The Crew
The four-person crew assigned to Artemis II comprises:
- Commander Reid Wiseman (NASA)
- Pilot Victor Glover (NASA)
- Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA)
- Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency)
This mission will mark several historical firsts in human spaceflight, with Christina Koch becoming the first woman, Victor Glover the first person of color, and Jeremy Hansen the first non-U.S. citizen to travel to the Moon. The crew has undergone three years of training for the mission.
Launch Preparations and Timeline
The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, named "Integrity," were fully stacked in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center in late October. The integrated vehicle has recently undergone a rollout from the VAB to Launch Pad 39B, a four-mile journey conducted by NASA's Crawler Transporter 2, taking between 8 to 12 hours.
Key pre-launch milestones include:
- Pad Connections: Connecting the mobile launcher to electrical, environmental control, and cryogenic propellant feeds at the launch pad.
- Wet Dress Rehearsal: A critical test involving loading the SLS rocket with over 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants, followed by a practice countdown and defueling. This rehearsal is designed to identify and address any potential issues like fuel leaks, which caused delays during the uncrewed Artemis I mission's preparations. A countdown demonstration test with the crew onboard was conducted in December.
- Addressing Technical Issues: Technicians have worked on issues such as a bent cable in the flight termination system, a faulty valve for Orion's hatch pressurization, and leaks in oxygen-pumping equipment.
The earliest identified launch window opens on February 6, 2026, with other specific dates identified in February (7, 8, 10, 11), March (6, 7, 8, 9, 11), and April (1, 3, 4, 5, 6). NASA emphasizes that crew safety is the primary priority, and the launch date will be confirmed following the successful completion of all tests and checks.
Broader Artemis Program Context
Artemis II follows the uncrewed Artemis I mission, which launched in November 2022. It is a critical precursor to the Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. Artemis III is currently projected for launch no earlier than 2027, with expert estimates leaning towards 2028, and will target the Moon's south pole.
The broader Artemis program's long-term objectives include establishing a sustained human presence on and around the Moon, constructing Gateway (a small space station orbiting the Moon via Artemis IV and V), and developing technologies for future human missions to Mars. Challenges within the program have included the development costs of the SLS rocket (nearly $50 billion since 2006) and delays in the development of human lunar landers, such as SpaceX's Starship HLS, leading to discussions about re-opening the Human Landing Services (HLS) contract to other bidders like Blue Origin.
International Space Exploration Landscape
The Artemis II mission takes place within a renewed era of global lunar exploration. Both the United States and China are actively pursuing lunar exploration, with particular interest in the Moon's southern polar region due due to the potential presence of water ice. China has advanced its Long March 10 lunar rocket, Mengzhou crewed spacecraft, and lunar lander development, with plans for a first landing by 2030. India is also preparing for uncrewed Gaganyaan test flights in 2026, aiming for crewed spaceflight and a lunar landing by approximately 2040. Europe and Japan are expected to participate in later Artemis missions, while Russia discusses its own lunar plans between 2030 and 2035.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is a key contributor to the Orion spacecraft, with its European Service Module, manufactured by Airbus in Germany, providing essential propulsion, electrical power, oxygen, nitrogen, and water for the astronauts' life support during the mission.