Artemis II: Humans Flew Around the Moon Again After 54 Years
In April 2026, four astronauts flew around the Moon and came home safely. Learn what the mission did, who the crew were, and what comes next on the road back to the lunar surface.
In April 2026, for the first time since 1972, human beings travelled to the Moon. NASA's Artemis II mission carried four astronauts around our nearest neighbour and brought them safely back.
The key facts
- Launch: 1 April 2026, on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Mission type: a crewed lunar flyby, a trip around the Moon and back, without landing.
- Splashdown: 10 April 2026.
- Duration: about 9 days, 1 hour, and 32 minutes.
- Spacecraft: the Orion capsule, with the crew module named Integrity.
The crew
- Reid Wiseman, commander (NASA)
- Victor Glover, pilot (NASA)
- Christina Koch, mission specialist (NASA)
- Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist (Canadian Space Agency)
Jeremy Hansen is the first non-American to travel to the Moon's neighbourhood.
What happened
Launch
The SLS rocket lifted Orion into space.
Orbiting Earth first
The crew checked the spacecraft's life support and systems close to home before leaving.
The push to the Moon
Orion fired its engine to leave Earth's orbit and head for the Moon.
The flyby
Around 6 and 7 April, Orion passed close to the Moon, and the crew observed the lunar surface, including the far side, which we never see from Earth.
The return
The spacecraft used the Moon's gravity to swing back toward Earth.
Splashdown
The capsule landed in the ocean, where recovery teams picked up the crew.
Why go back to the Moon?
- To test the technology needed to live and work in deep space.
- To explore areas of the Moon that have never been visited, especially near the south pole, where there may be water ice.
- To learn lessons for future crewed missions to Mars.
What comes next
Artemis II was a stepping stone. Later Artemis missions are planned to land astronauts on the lunar surface and build a longer-term presence. Schedules for these missions can change as spacecraft and landers are tested, so check NASA for updates.
What most people miss
- Apollo 17 in December 1972 was the last time people went to the Moon. Many people alive today had never seen a crewed lunar mission.
- Orion carries more than Apollo did. It is designed for longer trips, with modern computers and safety systems.
- International cooperation matters. Artemis includes partners such as Canada, Europe, and Japan.
