NASA’s Artemis II mission to explore the far side of the Moon

Humans haven’t been on the Moon since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Currently, NASA is striving to return to the lunar surface through its Artemis program, named after the Greek goddess and twin sister of Apollo. The program aims to establish a long-term presence near the Moon rather than just planting flags. Artemis also intends to send the first woman to the Moon. However, it has faced delays, development issues, and budget overruns. Artemis I completed an uncrewed mission in 2022. On April 2, 2026, Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center with four astronauts aboard, intended to orbit the Moon and return to Earth in 10 days. This mission tests systems for future manned landings, including Artemis IV in 2028. On April 6, NASA’s livestream on YouTube and Netflix covered Artemis II breaking the record for the furthest human travel from Earth during an Orion communications blackout behind the Moon. The mission seeks to identify potential future landing sites and achieve new distance records. Artemis II is the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System, carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey. Delays occurred due to helium supply issues. NASA envisions that Artemis will enable humans to inhabit the Moon longer, with a goal to eventually build a lunar base for extended stays. The future missions are designed for long-term scientific exploration and aim to land the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.