365telgu.com online news,september,24th,2025:NASA’s Artemis II mission is slated for launch in early 2026, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than five decades. The mission will carry four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, powered by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Following a “free-return” trajectory, the crew will travel over 5,000 nautical miles beyond the Moon before safely returning to Earth, without entering lunar orbit or landing.
The launch window includes multiple five-day periods in February, March, and April, with April 26 as the final possible date. If all goes according to plan, Artemis II could lift off as early as February 5, 2026, during nighttime hours. While NASA is targeting the earliest launch, crew safety protocols could adjust the schedule.
The Artemis II crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). The mission is a vital precursor to Artemis III, which aims to land humans on the Moon and establish a long-term presence there.
NASA has also invited the public to submit their names to be carried aboard the Orion spacecraft, with submissions open until January 21, 2026.
This mission reinforces NASA’s dedication to returning humans to the Moon and advancing capabilities in space exploration.