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NASA's Artemis II: Historic Crewed Lunar Mission Set for 2026

1/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

NASA plans Artemis II, its first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, with launch as early as February 6, 2026.
The crew comprises Reid Wiseman (NASA), Victor Glover (NASA), Christina Koch (NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency) for a 10-day lunar flyby.
Artemis II tests life support and navigation without landing.
The mission uses a free-return trajectory and will travel farther from Earth than any humans have before.

History

Historical Context

Apollo 17, launched on December 7, 1972, was NASA's final crewed lunar mission, featuring astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt exploring the Taurus–Littrow valley. This mission concluded a series of six successful lunar landings, totaling 12 astronauts on the Moon. The upcoming Artemis II mission, scheduled for February 2026, aims to reignite human lunar exploration and establish a sustainable presence on the Moon for future Mars missions.

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Story summary

NASA plans Artemis II, its first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, with launch as early as February 6, 2026.
The crew comprises Reid Wiseman (NASA), Victor Glover (NASA), Christina Koch (NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency) for a 10-day lunar flyby.
Artemis II tests life support and navigation without landing.
The mission uses a free-return trajectory and will travel farther from Earth than any humans have before.

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