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NASA to set foot on the Moon again: Artemis 2 set for early 2026 launch

They will launch on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and follow a “free-return” trajectory, flying more than 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) beyond the Moon before returning to Earth without entering lunar orbit or landing.

Artemis II Crew Train for Night Launch Scenarios at Kennedy Space Center. (Image: NASA.org)

NASA’s return to the Moon is now targeted for early 2026, with the Artemis 2 mission set to fly four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. The launch window includes several five-day periods in February, March, and April, with 26 April as the final possible date. If schedules hold, the mission could lift off as early as 5 February 2026 — at night, not during the day.

“This is a front-row seat to history: we’re returning to the Moon after over 50 years,” said Lakiesha Hawkins, NASA’s acting deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development. While NASA is aiming for the earliest possible launch window, she noted that crew safety requirements may extend the timeline.

Artemis 2 will be the first crewed flight of NASA’s Artemis programme. The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). They will launch on Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and follow a “free-return” trajectory — flying more than 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) beyond the Moon before returning to Earth without entering lunar orbit or landing.

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“They’re going much farther out than previous missions, so the Moon will look a little smaller,” explained Jeff Radigan, lead Artemis 2 flight director at Johnson Space Centre (JSC).

The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission in November 2022 successfully sent Orion into lunar orbit and returned it to Earth after four weeks. However, its heat shield burned more intensely than expected during reentry, prompting NASA to delay Artemis 2 — originally planned for 2024 — to ensure astronaut safety.

Rick Henfling, lead Artemis 2 entry flight director, said the team has studied the issue extensively and adjusted the trajectory to avoid the conditions that previously led to higher heat shield stress. Meanwhile, launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson noted that modifications to the launchpad and fuelling process would mitigate the risk of hydrogen leaks, which had delayed Artemis 1.

The Artemis 2 hardware is nearing completion. The Boeing-built SLS rocket is in NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre Vehicle Assembly Building, with Northrop Grumman’s solid rocket boosters already attached. The Orion capsule and its adapter are expected to be completed within weeks, with NASA planning to unveil the fully assembled rocket in October.

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Officials emphasised that Artemis 2, though crewed, remains a test flight. “The success of this mission depends not only on the safe return of the crew but also on the successful execution of the lunar flyby,” Radigan said. The mission will be a crucial step toward refining operations for future Moon landings and, eventually, deeper space exploration.