Scheduled for 2026, NASA’s Artemis 2 lunar mission is already in full preparation.
The mission would mark the first time in more than 50 years that the U.S. space agency would send astronauts to the Moon, but without landing.
The goal of the mission is for the spacecraft to orbit the satellite and return to Earth, only to test the systems for future journeys.
For the launch, which will take place from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA will use the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Recently, the technical team connected the vehicle’s core stage to the side boosters, an important step in preparing for the mission.
According to the agency, the core stage of the SLS is responsible for storing the rocket’s main fuel, which stands 65 meters tall.
The crew will consist of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Since Artemis 1, launched in 2022, was an uncrewed mission, they will be the first humans to approach the Moon since the Apollo mission in 1972.
Artemis 3, which will send astronauts to the lunar surface, is already in NASA’s plans and may be launched the following year, in 2027.
Need a boost? 🚀
Teams lowered the @NASAArtemis II @NASA_SLS core stage onto mobile launcher 1 between the twin solid rocket boosters. The weight of the core stage is supported by the boosters, attaching with struts at several points. These struts that connect the hardware are… pic.twitter.com/ubs6cmo6uA
— NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) March 25, 2025
Photo and video: X @NASAGroundSys. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
