Artemis II Mission Overview

Artemis II Mission. © NASA

Four astronauts will fly around the Moon on Artemis II, NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission. This 10-day flight is a key step toward building a lasting human presence on the Moon and preparing for future missions to Mars.

The mission will test the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft with astronauts on board, making sure all systems work properly in deep space.

The commander, the pilot, and the mission specialists are heading to the Moon on Artemis II. © NASA

Artemis II will be the first time astronauts travel around the Moon since Apollo. The crew will not land, but will orbit the Moon and return to Earth to help NASA confirm the spacecraft is ready for future lunar missions.

Artemis II science operations will lay the foundation for safe and efficient human exploration of the Moon and Mars. © NASA

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are scheduled to launch no earlier than Friday, Feb. 6. Mission control teams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will manage the flight.