NASA's Artemis II Mission to Send Astronauts Around the Moon in April 2026
NASA's Artemis II mission, scheduled for April 1, 2026, will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar mission since 1972.
NASA is set to launch Artemis II on April 1, 2026, marking the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. The 10-day mission will carry four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—on a journey around the Moon and back to Earth.
The mission will utilize the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. The SLS, standing 322 feet tall, is the world's most powerful rocket, generating 8.8 million pounds of thrust. Orion is equipped with a high-tech heat shield designed to withstand extreme temperatures during re-entry.
Artemis II aims to test life-support systems and other critical technologies, providing essential data on the effects of deep spaceflight on human biology. This mission is a crucial step toward NASA's goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and preparing for future missions to Mars.
The crew comprises:
- Reid Wiseman (Commander): A U.S. Navy pilot leading the mission.
- Victor Glover (Pilot): The first Black astronaut to travel to the Moon.
- Christina Koch (Mission Specialist): The first woman to journey to the Moon, holding the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days.
- Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist): Representing the Canadian Space Agency, he is the first non-American to participate in a lunar mission.
Following Artemis II, NASA plans to conduct Artemis III in 2027, an Earth-orbit test of a lunar lander, and Artemis IV in 2028, aiming for a crewed lunar landing.
The Artemis program is a collaborative effort involving international partners, including the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
