NASA’s Artemis II will take its first crewed mission around the Moon in over 50 years
The 10-day journey will assist in confirming the spacecraft systems and hardware needed for early human lunar exploration missions, assuring they operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space.
FILE: First look at NASA's lunar terrain vehicle for future Artemis missions
NASA announced Wednesday the selection of three commercial companies that will help advance the agency’s Artemis program. The space agency said it intends to start using the lunar terrain vehicle during the Artemis V mission, which could blast off as early as 2030.
NASA’s Artemis II is set to depart on a 10-day crewed mission around the Moon, with astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This mission is targeted to launch no earlier than Feb. 6.
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It will be the agency’s first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years.
Four astronauts will undertake the mission as the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence on the Moon for science and exploration, according to NASA.
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The 10-day journey will assist in confirming the spacecraft systems and hardware needed for early human lunar exploration missions, ensuring they operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space.
As the launch of Artemis II test flight approaches, the agency will roll out its SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft to the launch pad for the first time at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This will start the final integration, testing and launch rehearsals.
According to Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA is "moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner. We have important steps remaining on our path to launch, and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity’s return to the Moon."
NASA’s targeted rollout date is no earlier than Saturday, Jan 17.
NASA's Space Launch System rocket inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
(NASA/Joel Kowsky / FOX Weather)
The multi-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B will cover four miles and take up to 12 hours on the crawler-transporter-2, one of NASA’s two tracked vehicles at the Kennedy Space Center, used to transport massive rockets.
Teams have been working diligently to complete all tasks ahead of the rollout. However, NASA said the target date is subject to change if additional time is needed for technical preparations or weather.
Once rollout is complete and the integrated rocket and spacecraft reach the launch pad, NASA will conduct an extensive checklist of launch pad preparations to ensure all hardware and systems are working properly.
As the agency prepares for its first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years, NASA anticipates learning throughout the process, both on the ground and in flight, allowing system readiness and performance to determine when it’s prepared to launch.