NASA's Artemis II Crew Prepares for Historic Moon Mission

The four-person team will travel further into space than any human since the Apollo program.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:12pm

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A vibrant, abstract painting in shades of blue, green, and orange, featuring sweeping geometric arcs and concentric circles, conceptually representing the Artemis II mission's trajectory around the Moon.The Artemis II mission will mark a historic milestone in human space exploration, as the crew travels further into space than any since the Apollo program.Houston Today

NASA's Artemis II mission is set to launch four astronauts on a historic journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed Artemis flight and the farthest distance traveled by humans since the Apollo program. The crew will spend over 10 days in space, circling the lunar surface and testing critical systems in preparation for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon.

Why it matters

The Artemis program represents a major milestone in space exploration, reigniting human ambitions to return to the Moon and paving the way for future missions to Mars. This mission will demonstrate key technologies and capabilities needed to support long-duration deep space exploration, while also inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts.

The details

The four-person Artemis II crew will include a mission commander, pilot, and two mission specialists. During the 10-day mission, they will perform a lunar flyby, coming within 100 miles of the Moon's surface, before returning to Earth. This will be the farthest distance traveled by humans since the final Apollo mission in 1972.

  • The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch in late 2024.
  • The crew will spend over 10 days in space, circling the lunar surface.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

Artemis II Crew

The four-person team that will be the first humans to travel around the Moon since the Apollo program.

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What they’re saying

“This mission will demonstrate key technologies and capabilities needed to support long-duration deep space exploration.”

— NASA Administrator

“We are thrilled to be part of this historic moment in space exploration and to inspire the next generation of space enthusiasts.”

— Artemis II Crew Member

What’s next

Following the successful completion of the Artemis II mission, NASA plans to launch the Artemis III mission, which will land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo program.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a significant step forward in humanity's return to the Moon, paving the way for future long-duration deep space exploration and the establishment of a sustainable human presence on and around the lunar surface.