Artemis II launch: First crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years

NASA is set to launch its first crewed mission to the moon in more than half a century. The Artemis II flight will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon, with liftoff targeted for Wednesday evening.

Unlike future lunar missions, Artemis II will not land on the moon. Instead, it will test the Orion spacecraft and systems critical for returning astronauts to the lunar surface later this decade. The spacecraft will travel roughly 244,000 miles from Earth and pass about 5,000 miles beyond the far side of the moon before returning. Following a free-return trajectory, the mission will use the moon’s gravity to carry Orion back toward Earth.

NASA will use the flight to evaluate life support, navigation, and other systems under deep-space conditions, paving the way for subsequent missions that will include lunar landings. A map from NASA shows where the launch will be visible to skywatchers in Florida and southern Georgia.

The Artemis II crew represents several historic firsts. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch will join Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on the mission. Hansen will become the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit, while Koch will become the first woman to fly that far from Earth.

“Artemis is building on an already solid legacy,” Wiseman said. “If we look backwards in time just a little bit, right now, our crews are on the International Space Station learning how to truly work off of the planet. How does the human body perform? How do we resupply this International Space Station? These are lessons that will be critical on the moon as we look forward.”

Hansen reflected on the personal significance of the mission: “When the president of the Canadian Space Agency called me and officially proclaimed to me that I would be flying on Artemis II and then sharing that with my wife and three kids was also a very special moment for me. Watching their excitement as I pursue a dream of mine.”

The crew brings extensive experience in long-duration spaceflight, military aviation, and work aboard the International Space Station.

In preparation for launch, engineers have completed final system checks on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. Teams charged flight batteries, verified engine performance, and conducted safety checks on the astronauts’ pressure suits. NASA estimates an 80% chance of favorable weather for liftoff.

Artemis II marks the first crewed flight of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon and establish a sustained presence near the lunar south pole. Future missions will include lunar landings, extended stays, and infrastructure to support long-term exploration.