Why isn't Artemis II landing on the Moon?

The US is aiming to be the first country to land humans on the lunar surface again by 2028 - so what's this mission for?

An article explaining that the Artemis 2 mission involves a lunar flyby without landing, as part of NASA's plan to prepare for future lunar landings.

An article discussing the Artemis 2 mission, its objectives, and the significance of returning humans to the Moon after 54 years.

An article highlighting the symbolic moment when Artemis II astronauts placed personal items in their spacesuits before the mission.

An article detailing the two technical issues that delayed the Artemis II launch by ten minutes, marking humanity's return to the Moon after over 50 years.

NASA's Artemis 2 is a historic 10-day mission flying four astronauts around the moon—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—marking humanity’s return to lunar space for the first time since 1972.

NASA's Artemis 2, launching April 1, 2026, marks the first human mission to the moon's vicinity in over 50 years. The 10-day mission will send four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a lunar flyby, reaching 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon, making it the farthest human journey to date.

NASA is preparing to launch its Artemis II mission, marking a significant milestone as it sends astronauts to the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission, scheduled for launch on Wednesday evening, involves a crew of four—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—aboard the SLS rocket and Orion capsule.