Artemis II Moon Mission: Details of the Crewed Flight and Viewing Guide
NASA's Artemis II mission will take humans to the Moon for the first time since the 1970s. The mission will launch between February 8-13 and last for 10 days.
A Historic Space Journey Begins
NASA's Artemis II mission is preparing to open a new chapter in human space exploration. It will be the first mission since Apollo 17 in 1972 to send humans on a journey toward the Moon. The mission will conduct the crewed test flight of NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft.
Mission Crew and Objectives
The mission will be carried out by a four-person crew consisting of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be the first person from his country to travel to the Moon. The mission's primary objectives include testing the spacecraft systems, performing a safe flight around the Moon, and collecting critical data for the planned lunar surface landing with Artemis III.
Launch and Viewing Information
The launch window for Artemis II opens on February 8th and continues until February 13th. The launch will take place from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA will broadcast the launch live on its official YouTube channel, the NASA Plus app, and social media accounts. Under an agreement signed in 2025, the event is also expected to be streamed live on Netflix.
Outline of the 10-Day Mission
The mission will last approximately 10 days and will be a flight that orbits the Moon. The first two days will involve system tests in Earth orbit. Following that, a journey of about three days toward the Moon will begin. On the sixth day, the spacecraft will reach the far side of the Moon, and communication with Earth will be temporarily lost. During this time, it is expected to break the record of the Apollo 13 mission, sending humans to the farthest point from Earth. After the return journey and atmospheric re-entry, the Orion capsule will land in the Pacific Ocean using parachutes.
Next Steps: Artemis III
The data collected by Artemis II will be vital for the Artemis III mission, planned for mid-2027. Artemis III aims to land humans on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17. The landing system is being developed by SpaceX, while the astronaut suits are being developed by Axiom Space. These missions are also laying important groundwork for the development of autonomous systems and robotic technologies in space. For example, technologies like the Vision-Language-Action model developed by Ant Group could form the basis for autonomous exploration vehicles in future space missions.
Technical Preparations and Safety
Based on data from the uncrewed Artemis I mission conducted in 2022, NASA has made improvements to the Orion capsule's heat shield. The shield, which must withstand temperatures reaching up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 1,650 degrees Celsius) during atmospheric re-entry, stands out as one of the mission's most critical safety elements. All systems are being rigorously tested prior to launch.
