NASA’s Artemis II: 8 critical things to know as humans prepare to return to the Moon

What happened: NASA is preparing to launch Artemis II in February 2026, marking humanity’s first crewed mission toward the Moon since Apollo.

Why it matters now: The mission is a test flight with astronauts, a crucial step before future lunar landings.

What changes for people: Artemis II will validate deep-space systems needed for long-duration human exploration.

Who is affected: Global space agencies, future astronauts, and the next phase of human spaceflight.

NASA is set to take a historic step back toward the Moon next month with Artemis II, the first crewed mission of the Artemis programme. While astronauts will not land on the lunar surface, the mission is designed to push human spaceflight farther from Earth than ever before, testing systems that will shape the future of exploration.

1) Humans return to lunar space for the first time since Apollo

If successful, Artemis II will be the first crewed lunar mission since 1972, ending a more than five-decade gap in human travel beyond low Earth orbit.

2) No landing, but a daring lunar flyby

The crew will slingshot around the Moon, passing thousands of kilometres above the surface before heading home.

The goal is system testing, not surface exploration.

3) Farthest humans have ever travelled

During the flyby, the spacecraft will carry astronauts farther from Earth than any human mission in history, surpassing Apollo-era distance records.

4) A journey into lunar blackout

As the spacecraft travels behind the Moon, it will experience a communications blackout, losing direct contact with Earth for a period.

This phase is critical for testing autonomous systems and crew procedures.

5) The rarely seen lunar far side

The mission will take the crew past the Moon’s far side, a region never visible from Earth due to tidal locking.

Only a small number of astronauts have ever seen this view firsthand.

6) Orion and Space Launch System under pressure

Artemis II will fully test NASA’s Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) with a human crew onboard.

Engine performance, life-support systems, and heat shielding will be closely monitored.

7) Risk is part of the mission

NASA has acknowledged potential risks, including engine anomalies, navigation challenges, and deep-space radiation exposure.

Identifying and fixing problems now is essential before future landings.

8) A stepping stone to landing on the Moon again

Artemis II sets the stage for Artemis III, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface.

Success next month will determine timelines, confidence, and readiness for that goal.