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Artemis II
Artemis program's second lunar flight From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Artemis II is a planned mission under the NASA-led Artemis program, set to be the second launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft. Scheduled to launch in early 2026, the mission will carry four astronauts on a flyby of the Moon before returning to Earth. This will mark the first time a crew has traveled to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
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Initially designated as Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2), the mission was originally planned to retrieve samples from a captured asteroid as part of the now-canceled Asteroid Redirect Mission. It was later renamed following the establishment of the Artemis program.
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History
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Mission planning and launcher selection (2017–2021)
In 2017, Exploration Mission-2 was a projected single-launch mission of a Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1B rocket with an Exploration Upper Stage, lunar Block 1 Orion spacecraft, and a payload insertion of 50.7 tonnes (55.9 short tons; 112,000 lb). The plan was to rendezvous with an asteroid previously placed in lunar orbit by the robotic Asteroid Redirect Mission and have astronauts perform spacewalks and gather samples.[3][4] After the cancellation in April 2017[5] of the Asteroid Redirect Mission, an 8-day mission was proposed with a crew of four astronauts, sent on a free-return trajectory around the Moon.[6] Another proposal suggested in 2017 was to take four astronauts aboard Orion on an 8-to-21–day trip around the Moon to deliver the first element of the Deep Space Gateway.[7] In March 2018, it was decided to launch the first Gateway module on a commercial launch vehicle[8] because of delays in building the Mobile Launcher needed to hold the more powerful Exploration Upper Stage.[9] The launcher was selected to be the SpaceX Falcon Heavy.[10]
Hardware development, testing and integration (2021–present)
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On 11 February 2023, NASA rotated the Artemis II core stage’s engine section to a horizontal position, marking the final major milestone before integration with the rest of the vehicle. On 20 March, the engine section was mated with the core stage in Building 103 at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. NASA initially expected to deliver the completed core stage to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in summer 2023,[11] but by May, the timeline had shifted to late fall 2023.[12][13]
RS-25 engines with serial numbers E2047, E2059, E2062, and E2063 were installed on the core stage in New Orleans by 25 September 2023.[14][15] However, after a leak was discovered in its oxygen valve hydraulics, engine E2063 was replaced with E2061 in April 2025.[16]
In June 2024, NASA announced that the fully outfitted core stage was scheduled for delivery to KSC in July, which was successfully carried out from the 16th to the 25th.[17][18][19] The adapters required for integration of the full launch vehicle also reached substantial completion in June 2024 and arrived at KSC in September 2024.[20][21]
The Artemis II crew was announced on 3 April 2023 by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during his "State of NASA" address at a NASA facility at Ellington Field outside Houston,[22] and the crew made a public appearance that evening at nearby NRG Stadium during the 2023 March Madness championship game.[23]
NASA had originally targeted September 2024 to begin rocket stacking operations. However, the schedule was delayed by more than two months due to investigations into issues with Orion’s life support system and unexpected damage to Orion's heat shield observed after the Artemis I reentry.[24] Rocket stacking finally began on 20 November 2024.[25]
Launch date
During preliminary reviews in 2011, the launch date was placed somewhere between 2019 and 2021, but afterwards the launch date was delayed to 2023.[26][27] In January 2024, the mission was expected to launch in September 2025.[28] However, in October 2024, the NASA Office of Inspector General determined that the Exploration Ground Systems team had already used up their time reserved for resolving any unforeseen issues, leading the office to determine that the September 2025 launch date would likely be delayed.[24] In December 2024, outgoing Administrator Nelson announced that the launch was delayed due to the months of engineering investigations into issues with the life support system and heat shield,[29][30] but they were targeting a launch in April 2026.
In March 2025, however, NASA announced in a statement to AmericaSpace that the mission might be accelerated and that the launch date could potentially be moved up by two months to February 2026, though this potential move has not been confirmed as of yet. In the statement, NASA's Public Affairs Office said: "We're looking for ways to enable an earlier launch if possible, potentially launching as soon as February 2026. A February target allows the agency to capitalize on efficiencies in the flow of operations to integrate the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and supporting ground systems while maintaining crew safety as the top priority."[31] NASA's web page on the mission still displays the launch date as April 2026.
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Crew
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Artemis II will be crewed by four astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, all from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.[32] On 22 November 2023, Jenni Gibbons was named as Hansen's backup,[33] and on 3 July 2024, Andre Douglas was named backup for the three NASA astronauts.[34]
Glover will become the first person of color, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American to travel to the Moon. Hansen and Gibbons, both from Canada, were selected by the Canadian Space Agency as part of a 2020 treaty between the United States and Canada that facilitated their participation in the Artemis program.[32][35]
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Mission
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The Artemis II mission plan is to send four astronauts in the first crewed Orion spacecraft into a lunar flyby using the Block 1 variant of the Space Launch System. The mission profile is a multi-trans-lunar injection (MTLI), or multiple departure burns, and includes a free-return trajectory from the Moon. The Orion spacecraft will be sent to a high Earth orbit with a period of roughly 24 hours. During this time the crew will perform various checkouts of the spacecraft's life support systems as well as an in-space rendezvous and proximity operations demonstration using the spent Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) as a target. When Orion reaches perigee once again, it will fire its main engine to complete the TLI maneuver, which will send it to a lunar free-return trajectory, before returning to Earth.[36][37]
Optical communications
Artemis II will test and demonstrate optical communications to and from Earth using the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O).[38] The O2O hardware will be integrated into the Orion spacecraft and includes an optical module (a 4-inch [100 mm] telescope and two gimbals), modem and control electronics.[38] O2O will communicate with ground stations in California and New Mexico.[38] The test device will send data to Earth with a downlink rate of up to 260 megabits per second.[39]
Mission overview
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Artemis II's trajectory can be divided into several key phases:[40]
Launch
- Vehicle: Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1
- Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39B
- Duration: Approximately 8 minutes to reach initial orbit
- Trajectory: The SLS will launch Orion into a low Earth orbit (LEO) for a very short period of time, then fire again to place Orion in a highly-eccentric orbit with a period of about 24 hours.
Earth orbit and systems checkout
- Orbit: Highly-eccentric orbit with an apogee above that of typical communications satellites
- Duration: About 24 hours
- Activities: The crew will perform checks on the Orion spacecraft’s systems, ensuring all are functioning correctly before proceeding with the mission. They will also demonstrate proximity operations with the upper stage of their launch vehicle.
Translunar injection
- Maneuver: After the systems checkout, the Orion spacecraft will perform a TLI burn using its Service Module, propelling it out of Earth orbit towards the Moon
- Trajectory: A precise burn to place Orion on a trajectory that will take it around the Moon.
Lunar flyby
- Altitude: Closest approach approximately 7,400 kilometers (4,600 mi) from the lunar surface
- Duration: Several days to travel to the Moon, fly around it, and begin the return trip
- Activities: The crew will continue to monitor and test Orion’s systems and gather data on deep space travel effects.
Return trajectory
- Maneuver: After the lunar flyby, Orion will use the Moon’s gravity to assist in its return to Earth, a maneuver known as a free-return trajectory
- Trajectory: A path that will naturally bring Orion back to Earth without the need for additional propulsion if systems fail.
Re-entry and splashdown
- Re-entry Phase: Orion will re-enter Earth's atmosphere
- Splashdown: In the Pacific Ocean, recovery teams will retrieve the spacecraft and crew
- Duration: The entire mission is expected to last about 10 days.
CubeSat secondary payloads
NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) originally sought proposals in 2019 from U.S. institutions and companies to fly CubeSat missions as secondary payloads aboard the SLS on the Artemis II mission.[41][42] NASA planned to accept 6-unit (12 kg, 26 lb) and 12-unit (20 kg, 44 lb) CubeSats,[43] which would be mounted on the inside of the stage adapter ring between the SLS upper stage and the Orion spacecraft, deploying after Orion separated into high Earth orbit.[43] Although selections were initially expected by February 2020,[41] all secondary payloads were removed from the mission in October 2021.[44]
In September 2024, NASA announced that it would instead fly five CubeSats from international space agencies that that have signed the Artemis Accords. NASA said this will expand global scientific and technological knowledge while increasing international access to space. The first payload to be selected is Germany's TACHELES, which will study the effects of space on electrical components for lunar vehicle technology.[45]
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Similar missions
In December 1968, the Apollo 8 mission, crewed by astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders, flew their command and service module beyond low Earth orbit and completed ten orbits of the Moon. Similar to the planned Artemis II mission in that it was crewed and did not land, it differed by being placed into orbit.[46] Apollo 13 (1970) was the only Apollo mission, and only crewed spaceflight to date, that flew past the Moon by a free-return trajectory.
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