NASA has released a captivating animation depicting the journey of the Artemis II mission, the first crewed test flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. Scheduled to launch in early 2026, the mission will see four astronauts orbit the moon before returning to Earth in approximately 10 days. This groundbreaking mission will mark the first time in over five decades that humans will venture so close to the moon, setting the stage for a crewed lunar landing in the Artemis III mission.
NASA has released a detailed animation showing how the Artemis II mission will look from launch to splashdown.
The Artemis II mission will mark the first time in five decades for humans to get so close to the moon, and will pave the way for a crewed lunar landing in the Artemis III mission, which could launch as early as 2027. The crew’s flight will be similar to that taken by the Artemis I mission, which in 2022 sent an uncrewed Orion capsule to within about 80 miles above the lunar surface before flying past the moon to a distance of 268,563 miles from Earth, a record for a human-ready capsule.
“During this period, there will be an anticipated communication blackout between mission control and the spacecraft,” NASA says in the video. “As the crew returns from the far side of the moon, Orion is drawn home by Earth’s gravity in a free return trajectory, ensuring a fuel-efficient four-day trip.”
NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Space Launch System Orion Spacecraft
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