For the first time in half a century, humanity will once again leave the limits of Earth’s orbit

NASA has announced the Artemis II human-crewed mission, scheduled for February 2026. This will be the first mission of astronauts beyond low Earth orbit since 1972.

The BBC reports this.

Within ten days, astronauts will set off on a flight in the Orion spacecraft using the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The team will include Commander Reed Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, NASA astronaut Christina Koch, and a representative of the Canadian Space Agency, Jeremy Hansen.

This mission will be an important milestone on the way to landing people on the Moon. During the flight, the Orion spacecraft will fly around in “free return” mode, without entering lunar orbit. The astronauts will check all the ship’s systems, practice manual approach maneuvers, and conduct several scientific experiments, including studying the effects of microgravity and space radiation on the body’s cells.

The launch is not scheduled for earlier than February 5, 2026, although there could be a few more windows until April. NASA emphasizes that the safety of the astronauts is a priority.

The previous mission, Artemis I, took place in 2022 without a crew and lasted 25 days. Then Orion successfully flew around the Moon and returned to Earth, although there were problems with the heat shield during re-entry, which required additional modifications.

The Artemis II mission will be the first attempt to use the SLS with people on board. If successful, it will be a step towards Artemis III, which is planned for 2027 and involves landing astronauts on the lunar surface. However, the timing depends on the readiness of SpaceX’s Starship, which will be responsible for the landing.

NASA representatives note that the mission is of historic significance for restoring a human presence on the Moon and is an essential step in plans to create a base on its surface.