Artemis II

Artemis II is a NASA crewed lunar flyby mission that serves as the second flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft. The mission carries a crew of astronauts on a trajectory around the Moon, testing critical systems and procedures for human deep space exploration without landing on the lunar surface.

Mission Overview

• Timeline: Launched on April 1, 2026, marking humanity’s return to the vicinity of the Moon after 54 years.
• Duration: A ten-day voyage designed to redefine space exploration capabilities.
• Objective: Validates human-rated systems on both the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket, demonstrating crew operations in the lunar environment.
• Context: Provides essential operational experience and vehicle performance data during deep space transit to support subsequent crewed lunar landing missions.

Key Findings & Reports

• Refer to Artemis II: Crewed Test Flight Report for Dark Side Lunar Observation for detailed insights on discoveries made during the dark side lunar observation phase.

Spacecraft Systems

Artemis II relies on the Orion spacecraft, which is designed to safely transport crew to cislunar space and return them to Earth. The mission tests Orion’s life support systems, navigation capabilities, and in-flight operations under conditions that