After more than 50 years since Apollo, NASA is finally preparing to send astronauts back around the Moon. The upcoming Artemis 2 mission, scheduled for early 2026, will carry four astronauts on a 10-day journey aboard the Orion spacecraft. Unlike Apollo, this mission won’t land but will fly over 9,000 km beyond the Moon, giving the world a front-row seat to history.

The spacecraft will launch on NASA’s most powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, possibly as early as February 5, 2026-and here’s the twist: it could be a night launch, making the spectacle even more dramatic.

NASA officials say safety is the top priority, so launch windows extend through February, March, and April, with April 26 as the final option. This flight is being seen as the stepping stone to future Moon landings, including Artemis 3, which aims to put humans on the lunar surface once again.

Why this matters: Humanity hasn’t ventured this far from Earth in decades. If successful, Artemis 2 will open doors to a new era of space exploration.