Artemis 2 tracker: NASA’s Artemis II mission, a 10-day journey around the Moon and humanity’s first lunar voyage in over half a century, launched from Florida on Wednesday. It is a major step toward returning humans to the lunar surface this decade. The four astronauts aboard have now reached orbit, where they will circle Earth for about 25 hours before heading toward the Moon.
The Artemis II crew, featuring astronauts from the US and Canada, includes:
Reid Wiseman
Victor Glover
Christina Koch
Jeremy Hansen
Carrying three Americans and one Canadian, the Artemis II rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center before massive crowds, echoing the Apollo era. The mission marks a major step toward a sustained human presence on the Moon.
Minutes into the flight, Commander Reid Wiseman said, “We have a beautiful moonrise, we’re headed right at it.” He is joined by pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, forming the most diverse lunar crew yet aboard NASA’s Orion capsule.
Artemis II is a 10-day out-and-back mission that will fly past the Moon without landing or orbiting it. The crew will spend about 25 hours in Earth orbit testing the Orion capsule before firing its main engine toward the Moon.
The astronauts will travel several thousand miles beyond the lunar surface, becoming the most distant humans ever, before looping back for a Pacific splashdown. Along the way, they’ll practice manual controls in case the capsule’s autopilot fails, capture unprecedented views of the Moon, and even witness a brief solar eclipse from space.
This mission serves as a rehearsal for NASA’s plan to land humans near the lunar south pole by 2028 and establish a permanent presence on the Moon.
Artemis II is a historic and ambitious lunar venture, marking the first time humans will travel near the Moon in more than half a century. Beyond retracing the steps of the Apollo program, the mission is set to push the boundaries of human spaceflight by taking astronauts farther from Earth than ever before, breaking a record that has stood for decades. This journey not only tests NASA’s new Orion spacecraft and deep-space capabilities but also lays the groundwork for future lunar landings and a sustained human presence on the Moon.