Artemis II: NASA’s Crewed Moon Flyaround Signals a New Era of Lunar Exploration

NASA’s Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a roughly 10-day crewed flyaround of the Moon to test systems ahead of future lunar landings and a long-term lunar presence. The flight aims to advance science—studying lunar geology and the southern polar region’s water ice—while also evaluating human physiology in deep-space conditions and laying groundwork for a lunar base and eventual missions to Mars as part of the broader Artemis program.