NASA's Artemis 2: Humans heading back to the Moon after 50+ years
NASA is finally sending astronauts back toward the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era.
With a launch window opening as soon as February 6, 2026, Artemis 2 will see Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen fly around the Moon on a 10-day trip.
This mission isn't just about visiting—it's about building a long-term human presence in lunar space.
What makes Artemis 2 special
Artemis 2 builds on lessons from the uncrewed Artemis 1 flight, which helped NASA fix some heat shield issues on Orion.
Before heading out, the crew will run key system checks in Earth orbit to make sure everything works perfectly.
If all goes well, this mission sets up even bigger plans—like landing humans with Artemis 3 and eventually making life on (and around) the Moon more routine.