Archive · 7 Jan 2026
Artemis II: Humans Return to Moon
After more than 50 years, humans are going back to the Moon!
Four astronauts will travel on the Artemis II mission, which will last 10 days.
They won't land on the Moon but will fly close to it.
This mission is important because it will help us learn how to travel safely in deep space.
The astronauts will test their spaceship and see how space travel affects their bodies.
If this mission goes well, the next one, Artemis III, will land people on the Moon again.
The goal is to prepare for even bigger trips, like going to Mars one day.
Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to the Moon in over 50 years, launching between February and April.
Four astronauts, including the first woman (Christina Koch) to fly to the Moon, will orbit the Moon but not land.
The mission will test life-support systems, spacecraft performance, and the effects of space travel on human health.
Artemis II follows the successful uncrewed Artemis I mission and precedes the planned Artemis III Moon landing in 2027.
The mission aims to gather valuable data for future lunar missions and eventual trips to Mars.
- Who
- Four astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch (NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian)
- What
- Artemis II mission to orbit the Moon
- When
- Between 6 February and April
- Where
- Launch from Kennedy Space Center, Florida; orbit around the Moon
- Why
- To test life-support systems, spacecraft performance, and human health in deep space
- Mission Name
- Artemis II
- Launch Date
- Between 6 February and April
- Astronauts
- Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch (NASA), Jeremy Hansen (Canadian)
- Mission Duration
- 10 days
- Distance to Moon
- 240,000 miles
- Next Mission
- Artemis III (2027, planned)
- Heat Shield Status
- Repaired after Artemis I issues