NASA is preparing to send crewed missions to the Moon for the first time since the end of the Apollo Era over fifty years ago. With the success of Artemis I, which sent an uncrewed Orion spacecraft on a circumlunar flight and set a new distance record for a crew-capable spacecraft, NASA is gearing up for Artemis II. This mission, which NASA is now targeting for no sooner than February 5th, 2026 (and no later than April), will transport a four-person crew around the Moon without landing and return them home ten days later. The announcement was made during a news conference on September 23rd at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC).
The core and upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) that will launch the Artemis II mission were stacked between March and May 2025, while the solid rocket boosters were completed in February. The Orion spacecraft is in the final stages of preparation and will be integrated with the SLS later this year. In early 2026, the fully stacked rocket and spacecraft will roll out to their launch site at the Kennedy Space Center in preparation for their February launch window. After a “wet dress rehearsal,” where the launch system will be fully-fuelled and a mock countdown conducted, the Artemis II mission will be ready for launch.
The Artemis II mission will evaluate all of the systems and mission architecture used to transport astronauts to the Moon with Artemis III. This mission is currently scheduled for no earlier than mid-2027 and will see two astronauts transfer to a Human Landing System (HLS) provided by SpaceX in lunar orbit, then descend to the surface. The entire mission is expected to last about 30 days and will be the first time astronauts have walked on the Moon since the Apollo 17 astronauts did in 1972.
Artemis II astronauts visit the Artemis launch team inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA
However, during a meeting that took place on September 19th, members of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) expressed doubt that the Starship HLS will be ready in time. Paul Hill, the Former Director of Mission Operations at NASA JSC, summarized NASA’s concerns, saying: “The HLS schedule is significantly challenged and, in our estimation, could be years late for a 2027 Artemis 3 moon landing.” Another issue is the cryogenic propellant transfer, which SpaceX must successfully demonstrate to meet its contractual obligations.
Nevertheless, the ASAP members also expressed confidence in SpaceX’s ability to deliver, citing their “high manufacturing” and “flight tempo.”
In related news, NASA announced that the Artemis II crew had named their spacecraft “Integrity.” The announcement was made at a news conference on September 24th, inside the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. According to a NASA statement:
The name Integrity embodies the foundation of trust, respect, candor, and humility across the crew and the many engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, and dreamers required for mission success. The name is also a nod to the extensive integrated effort – from the more than 300,000 spacecraft components to the thousands of people across the world – that must come together to venture to the Moon and back, inspire the world, and set course for a long-term presence at the Moon. Integrity is rooted in a shared core value of NASA, the agency’s astronaut office, and the CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
During the ASAP meeting, the members also expressed concerns about the future of NASA’s lunar exploration plans beyond Artemis III, describing it as “uncertain and a little murky.” Nevertheless, the agency and the Artemis crew are prepped and on track to launch the Artemis II mission sometime next year. The success of this mission will usher in a new era of space exploration, paving the way for regular missions to the Moon and a “sustained program of lunar exploration and development.”
Further Reading: Ars Technica, NASA