Artemis II marks a major step in humanity’s return to the Moon after five decades
April 2, 2026: More than five decades after the end of the Apollo program, NASA has launched astronauts toward the Moon under the Artemis II mission. The 10-day journey will take the crew on a lunar flyby nearly 230,000 miles from Earth, marking a significant milestone in humanity’s return to deep space exploration.
The mission is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, aimed at re-establishing a human presence on the Moon. If all goes as planned, a future mission—Artemis IV—is expected to land astronauts on the lunar surface by 2028, reviving an achievement not seen since the Apollo era.
Looking ahead, Artemis V is expected to focus on building a sustained human presence, including the early stages of a Moon base. Scientists believe this could serve as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars and beyond, opening a new chapter in space exploration.