Artemis ii: inside the historic mission to the moon

As NASA's Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, orbits the Earth at an altitude of 162,500 miles, its solar panels unfurled and engines primed, the Artemis II mission is poised to make history. Scheduled to launch on April 2, 2026, this uncrewed test flight will pave the way for humanity's return to the lunar surface.

Mission highlights

After separating from the second stage, Integrity will perform a series of critical maneuvers. At T+49 minutes, the spacecraft will fire its engines to increase its perigee, or closest point to Earth, to 185 miles. This will be followed by a second engine burn at T+1 hour 48 minutes to establish an elliptical orbit of 0 by 70,000 miles.

The crew will then practice proximity operations, guiding Integrity within 30 meters of the second stage and demonstrating the spacecraft's systems, including its life support and communication equipment. The spacecraft will eventually jettison the second stage, which will make a controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

As Orion continues its journey, the crew will perform several system checks and sleep in two four-hour shifts. On day two, Integrity will use its service module engines to achieve escape velocity and begin its lunar-bound trajectory. This will mark the start of a record-breaking journey, with the spacecraft flying farther from Earth than ever before, reaching a distance of approximately 402,000 miles by the fifth day.

Throughout the mission, the crew will conduct a series of scientific experiments, including testing the spacecraft's life support systems and practicing lunar landing simulations. They will also demonstrate the use of intravehicular suits, which provide a safe environment for spacewalks and can sustain the crew for up to six days in case of an emergency.

As the spacecraft approaches the Moon, Integrity will perform multiple trajectory corrections to ensure a precise lunar orbit. Upon reaching the Moon's orbit, the crew will prepare for reentry, donning their intravehicular suits and separating from the service module. Orion will then plunge back into Earth's atmosphere, with a series of parachutes slowing it down before landing off the coast of San Diego, California.