NASA's Artemis II Mission to Fly Around the Far Side of the Moon

The Orion spacecraft will set a new distance record for human spaceflight on its journey around the lunar surface.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 8:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A bold, abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and oranges, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals, conceptually representing the complex forces and concepts of the Artemis II mission to the Moon.The Artemis II mission's journey around the Moon will push the boundaries of human spaceflight, capturing stunning views of our celestial neighbor and paving the way for future lunar exploration.San Diego Today

NASA's Artemis II mission is set to fly four astronauts around the far side of the Moon, marking a significant milestone in the Artemis program's goal of returning humans to the lunar surface. The crew, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, will test the Orion spacecraft's systems and capture stunning images of the Earth and Moon during the 10-day journey.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a crucial step towards NASA's ambitious plan to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. By flying around the far side and setting a new distance record for human spaceflight, the mission will gather valuable data and experience to support future Artemis missions, including the goal of landing astronauts on the lunar surface as early as 2028.

The details

The Artemis II crew will travel to the Moon, fly around its far side, and then return to Earth, with a scheduled splashdown off the coast of San Diego on April 10th. During the mission, the astronauts will break the record set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, traveling over 252,756 miles from Earth, the farthest any human crew has ever ventured. The crew will also conduct observations of the lunar surface and identify potential landing sites for future Artemis missions.

  • On April 6th, the Artemis II crew is expected to fly by the Moon.
  • On April 10th, the Orion spacecraft is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 PM ET.
  • On April 15th, 1970, the Apollo 13 mission set the previous distance record of 248,655 miles from Earth.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

A mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Christina Koch

A mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian mission specialist on the Artemis II crew.

NASA

The U.S. space agency leading the Artemis program and the Artemis II mission.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This is not uncommon. We have this on-station all the time. You know, sometimes Outlook has issues getting configured, especially when you don't have a network that's directly connected. And so essentially we just had to reload his files on Outlook to get it working.”

— Judd Frieling, Artemis Flight Director

What’s next

The Artemis II crew will continue their journey around the Moon, testing the Orion spacecraft's systems and capturing stunning imagery of the lunar surface. After their flyby, they will begin their return trip to Earth, with a scheduled splashdown off the coast of San Diego on April 10th.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, paving the way for future crewed missions to the Moon. By flying around the far side and setting a new distance record, the crew will gather invaluable data and experience to support the goal of establishing a long-term human presence on the lunar surface.