Florida: NASA has announced that humans will return to the Moon after more than 50 years, with the Artemis II mission scheduled to launch on February 6.
The mission will carry four astronauts and mark the first crewed lunar journey since the Apollo era ended in 1972. NASA said the launch window will remain open from January 31 to February 14, with several backup dates built into the schedule in case conditions are not suitable.
The February 6 launch will depend on multiple factors, including weather. If the mission cannot lift off that day, additional launch attempts are planned for February 7, 8, 10, and 11. NASA said further backup dates are also being considered.
Artemis II will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The four-member crew will embark on a 10-day journey that will take them around the Moon and back to Earth.
The mission will not involve a lunar landing or orbit. Instead, the spacecraft will perform a close flyby of the Moon before returning home. The flight is designed to test systems and procedures ahead of future missions that will place astronauts on the lunar surface. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral, with the crew travelling aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, which will be carried into space by the agency’s powerful Space Launch System rocket.
We are going—again! Artemis II is set to depart on its 10-day crewed flight around the Moon no earlier than Feb. 6, with plenty of activities scheduled at @NASA_Johnson around the launch.
Find media accreditation information here: https://t.co/EmIkC9xNNw pic.twitter.com/KXh8TkE6ju
— NASA (@NASA) January 13, 2026
After launch, Orion will orbit Earth several times as engineers check life support and onboard systems. Once cleared, the spacecraft will head toward the Moon. After completing its flyby, Orion will use the Moon’s gravity to slingshot back toward Earth, a trajectory designed to reduce reliance on onboard propulsion and improve safety.
NASA says Artemis II is a crucial trial mission meant to test spacecraft performance, crew safety, and deep-space operations. It will serve as a final proving ground before humans attempt to land on the Moon again.
Preparations for the mission begin on January 17, when the fully assembled rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to roll out from NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. This will be followed by test countdowns and rehearsals before final fuelling ahead of launch.
Artemis II is the second mission under NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis III is expected to follow, with plans to return astronauts to the Moon’s surface for the first time in more than half a century.
