NASA says it is preparing to send astronauts on a ten-day mission around the Moon as early as February 2026, marking the first crewed lunar flight in half a century.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Artemis II mission will be the second launch under the agency’s Artemis programme, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface and eventually establish a sustainable human presence there. Four astronauts will take part in the journey, testing key systems needed for future deep-space exploration.
“The launch window could open as early as the fifth of February, but we want to emphasize that safety is our top priority,” said Lakiesha Hawkins, NASA’s acting deputy associate administrator. “We together have a front row seat to history.”
Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson noted that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is “pretty much stacked and ready to go,” with final work focused on completing the Orion crew capsule and conducting ground tests.
Artemis I, the programme’s maiden flight in November 2022, sent an uncrewed spacecraft on a 25-day journey around the Moon. While the mission was deemed a success, engineers identified issues with the heatshield during re-entry—problems NASA says have since been resolved.
If successful, Artemis II will pave the way for Artemis III, the mission that aims to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972.
