NASA plans Artemis II lunar mission 1st since 1972
NASA is about to make history with Artemis II, sending astronauts around the Moon for the first time since 1972.
Four crew members will ride in the Orion spacecraft, bigger and smarter than anything from Apollo days, for a 10-day trip testing new navigation, radiation shielding, and life support systems.
Artemis III planned 2027 docking test
Artemis II is just the start. The next mission, Artemis III (planned for 2027), will try out docking with the Starship Lander in orbit, a big step toward landing humans on the Moon again.
This over $90 billion project isn't just NASA; it's a team effort with Canada, Europe, and Japan.
The goal? Use lunar ice for future, more ambitious space missions and do science we can't do from Earth, all while building a permanent outpost on the Moon.