tech
April 4, 2026
When will Artemis II reach the Moon?
NASA’s Artemis II will reach the Moon in four days, with the US aiming to eventually set up a permanent lunar base before China and Russia
TL;DR
- Artemis II, NASA's first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, has launched from the Kennedy Space Center.
- The mission will see four astronauts orbit the Moon, travel further from Earth than ever before, and return at record speeds.
- Artemis II is part of a larger program aiming to land humans on the Moon by 2028 and establish a permanent base by the 2030s.
- The mission faced a potential delay due to a technical error with the rocket's Flight Termination System, which was resolved.
- The spacecraft will spend 24 hours in high-Earth orbit for systems tests before heading to the Moon.
- Upon reaching lunar orbit, the crew will become the first humans to see the far side of the Moon.
- The mission evokes comparisons to the Apollo era, highlighting a renewed space race involving the US, China, and Russia.
- The Artemis program has faced significant delays and cost overruns, with billions spent on the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.
- International competition is fierce, with China aiming to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and both nations developing space-based military capabilities.
- The Moon's resources, including rare-earth elements and Helium-3, are a significant factor in the renewed interest in lunar exploration and commercial exploitation.
Continue reading the original article