Humans to orbit Moon next year, first time since 1972
What's the story
NASA is gearing up for its first human spaceflight mission beyond low-Earth orbit in over 50 years. The Artemis II mission, which will see four astronauts travel around the Moon and back, is targeting a launch window that opens on February 5, 2026. This would be a major milestone for the space agency and humanity at large.
Mission details
Mission will last around 10 days
The Artemis II mission will take astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon. This will be the first time since Apollo 17 in December 1972 that humans have ventured beyond low-Earth orbit. The mission's Space Launch System rocket has already been stacked and declared ready for flight.
Spacecraft readiness
Orion spacecraft in final stages of preparation
The Orion spacecraft, which will carry the astronauts, is in its final stages of preparation. It will be mated with the upper stage of the rocket later this year. In early next year, this integrated stack will roll out to Kennedy Space Center for launch. Here, it will be connected to ground systems and undergo a "wet dress rehearsal" where both stages of the rocket are fueled with liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
Flight plan
Launch windows open every month
Due to Earth-Moon orbits and mission constraints, launch windows open every month for four to eight days. The February window opens on the fifth with an evening launch. Post-launch, Orion will separate from SLS rocket's upper stage after three hours in space. It will spend 24 hours in Earth's orbit for various system checks before performing a burn to enter free return trajectory around Moon.
Journey details
Heat shield test during reentry is crucial
On this trajectory, Orion will fly to and beyond the Moon by 5,000 to 14,484km before returning to Earth. The spacecraft will start its descent after 10 days. A key goal for this flight is testing the spacecraft's heat shield during reentry. Despite no failure in Artemis I test flight in 2022, large chunks of charred material broke away unexpectedly during flight.
Engineer assurance
Artemis II is a stepping stone toward Artemis III
Rick Henfling, Artemis II entry flight director, expressed his confidence in the mission. "The confidence we have in Artemis II is built upon numerous tests over the course of a couple of years," he said. This mission is a stepping stone toward Artemis III, which aims to land two astronauts on the Moon near its South Pole.