Artemis II—Mission to the Moon

In 2026, a new generation of astronauts head back to the Moon!

Check back after the mission heads into space for opportunities to view the launch and learn more about this new crewed mission to the moon.

Mission Type: Crewed Lunar Fly-by
Expected Launch: Winter-Spring 2026
Mission Duration: 10 Days 
Mission Description: “Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The 10-day flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the SLS rocket, and Orion spacecraft, for the first time with astronauts…Artemis II builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022, and will demonstrate a broad range of capabilities needed on deep space missions.” – NASA.gov

FREE Artemis II Kit for Rockets Challenge participants

Sign up for our Rockets Challenge on May 31, 2026, and get a free Artemis II kit! Kits include posters, stickers, activities and experiment sheets, and more.

Learn more and how to register for the Rockets Challenge here.

Artemis II kits and resources are made available by the MOST with support from the NASA New York Space Grant Consortium.

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