NASA's Artemis II Astronauts Gear Up for Lunar Flyby

Space agency officials say the crew is in 'great spirits' as the mission nears the moon

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:36pm

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A bold, abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and grays depicting the Artemis II spacecraft's trajectory around the moon, with sweeping geometric arcs and concentric circles representing the complex scientific forces at play in this historic mission.The Artemis II mission's historic journey to the moon's far side promises new scientific insights and a renewed era of human exploration beyond Earth orbit.Houston Today

NASA's Artemis II mission, which launched on Friday, is currently on a ten-day journey around the moon and back. Space agency officials report that the four astronauts on board - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch - are in high spirits and excited about the historic mission, which will mark the first time humans have left Earth orbit since the last Apollo moon landing in 1972.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a critical step in NASA's ambitious Artemis program to return humans to the lunar surface. This uncrewed flyby around the moon will pave the way for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a long-term human presence on and around the moon, serving as a stepping stone for future deep space exploration.

The details

On Thursday, the Orion spacecraft performed a successful translunar injection burn that set it on a path to the moon. NASA officials said the burn was so precise that a planned correction burn on Friday will no longer be necessary. The astronauts have been resting, exercising, and communicating with their families, and will soon participate in life-support training activities. During a six-hour science observation period on Monday, the crew is expected to photograph previously unseen features of the moon's far side from a distance of about 4,000 miles.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • The mission is a ten-day journey around the moon and back.
  • The spacecraft performed a translunar injection burn on Thursday, setting it on course for the moon.
  • The astronauts are scheduled to conduct a six-hour science observation of the moon's far side on Monday.

The players

Reid Wiseman

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II mission.

Jeremy Hansen

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II mission.

Christina Koch

One of the four astronauts on the Artemis II mission.

Lakiesha Hawkins

NASA's acting deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development.

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What they’re saying

“They are really excited about the opportunity to be there. There's a lot of fun things going on, in addition to a lot of hard work.”

— Lakiesha Hawkins, NASA's acting deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development

“It was really great to wake up this morning and look out the window and see the full moon off the front of the vehicle. There's no doubt where we are heading right now.”

— Reid Wiseman

What’s next

The Artemis II astronauts are scheduled to conduct a six-hour science observation of the moon's far side on Monday, during which they are expected to photograph previously unseen features.

The takeaway

The successful launch and early progress of the Artemis II mission represents a significant milestone in NASA's ambitious Artemis program to return humans to the lunar surface. The excitement and preparedness of the astronaut crew bodes well for the mission's continued success and the future of lunar exploration.