NASA's Artemis II: Humans headed back beyond the Moon (finally!)
NASA is getting ready to launch Artemis II, aiming for February 2026.
The massive Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft will roll out at Kennedy Space Center, setting up a mission that'll send astronauts farther than anyone's gone since 1972.
The plan? A 10-day trip looping around the Moon on a smart, fuel-saving path—no landing, but a big step toward future lunar missions.
Meet the crew making history
Four astronauts are set to fly: Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Jeremy Hansen from Canada.
This team will be the first humans in over 50 years to travel beyond Earth orbit—a pretty huge deal for space fans everywhere.
What's next before liftoff?
Before launch day, NASA will run a "wet dress rehearsal"—basically filling the rocket with over 700,000 gallons of super-cold fuel and practicing every countdown step.
After one last readiness check, they'll pick their shot from several launch windows between February and April 2026.