NASA is poised to send a crew around the Moon in early March, marking humanity's furthest voyage into space in over 50 years. The Artemis II mission will feature a 10-day journey around the Moon's far side, paving the way for future lunar landings.
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The launch is targeted for March 6 (March 7 in the UK), following a successful "wet dress rehearsal" at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This critical test involved fueling the rocket and conducting a countdown sequence.
NASA's Lori Glaze expressed growing excitement, noting, "The Moon is calling us and we're ready." The first rehearsal in February ended early due to a hydrogen fuel leak, but NASA has since addressed the issues with seals and filters.
The Artemis II crew includes Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen. Following the rehearsal's success, the crew will enter quarantine in preparation for the mission.
They will embark on the mission aboard NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), a 98-meter-tall mega Moon rocket, which previously flew without a crew in November 2022 during the Artemis I mission. The astronauts will be housed in the Orion capsule, situated atop the rocket, which is roughly the size of a minibus.
Their mission begins with orbiting Earth for a day. If systems are confirmed to be functioning properly, they will then travel to the Moon. The journey will take approximately four days, during which the crew will orbit 6,500-9,500 km above the lunar surface, studying and photographing the Moon.
After completing their lunar flyby, the crew will commence a four-day journey back to Earth, concluding with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. A successful mission will clear the path for Artemis III, where astronauts are expected to set foot on the lunar surface.
NASA has set an ambitious target for a lunar landing by 2028. Elon Musk’s company SpaceX is under contract to build the Artemis III lander. Due to delays with its Starship rocket, NASA has asked SpaceX for a streamlined return-to-Moon plan. Concurrently, NASA has requested Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, to present an accelerated lunar plan for Artemis III.
As these developments unfold, the US is under international pressure to reach the Moon, with China aiming for a lunar landing by 2030. Both nations are targeting the Moon's south pole for their landings, competing for optimal spots to establish lunar bases.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 20 Feb 2026
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