NASA's Artemis II readies for historic Moon mission in April
NASA's Artemis II is gearing up to launch April 2, 2026 (April 2, 2026 at 03:54am IST), marking the first time astronauts will fly around the Moon since 1972.
The mission lifts off from Kennedy Space Center and sends four astronauts on a 10-day trip around the Moon and back.
Meet the Artemis II crew
The crew includes commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
Koch will be the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit, while Hansen becomes the first non-American astronaut on a lunar mission, both making history in their own ways.
Mission details and international collaboration
Artemis II will test life-support systems, navigation, and communications on the far side of the Moon, coming within about 7,400-8,000km (4,600-8047km) of the surface.
The team will also carry multiple international CubeSats from Germany, Argentina, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia, making this a truly global effort.
Significance of Artemis program
This mission is key for NASA's bigger plans: the Artemis program aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon during an early Artemis landing mission now scheduled for 2028 (mission numbering and dates have been revised).
Success here helps pave the way for future lunar bases, even Mars exploration down the line.