NASA officials have announced that the second phase of the Artemis program, the Artemis 2 mission, is scheduled to launch in April 2026. If the schedule remains on track, the launch could be moved up to February 2026. The approximately 10-day mission will see the crew orbit the Moon and safely return to Earth.
In a statement on Tuesday, agency representatives said Artemis 2 will carry a four-astronaut crew on a test flight around the Moon. This mission will serve as a critical rehearsal for Artemis 3, NASA’s first human Moon landing attempt since 1972. Currently, Artemis 3 is planned for 2027 and is expected to include a more extensive Moon landing using SpaceX’s Starship landing configuration.
The mission will be launched aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, produced by Boeing and Northrop Grumman, while the Orion spacecraft capsule has been built by Lockheed Martin. Despite delays last year, NASA intends to stick to the April 2026 schedule. Lakiesha Hawkins, acting senior official in NASA’s exploration division, stated, “We aim to maintain this commitment.”
The Artemis program, funded with billions of dollars, is the U.S.’s primary initiative to restart human Moon missions. It is also seen as a response to China’s planned human Moon landing by 2030. NASA officials say that a successful Artemis 2 mission will accelerate preparations and reviews for Artemis 3.
