Artemis II

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Lunar flyby
Mission: Human Exploration

Lunar flyby Launch Complex 39B Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Artemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon and return them back to Earth. The mission will test the core systems of NASA's Orion spacecraft including the critical life support system, among other systems which could not be tested during Artemis I due to the lack of crew onboard.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Sept. 23, 2025, 11:28 p.m.

Added launch window.


Cosmic_Penguin • Sept. 23, 2025, 2:39 p.m.

NET February 5.


Cosmic_Penguin • July 31, 2025, 11:05 p.m.

Moved up to NET February.


Cosmic_Penguin • Dec. 5, 2024, 6:18 p.m.

NET April 2026.


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 9, 2024, 6:53 p.m.

NET September 2025.


Space Launch System (SLS)

Family:
Configuration: Block 1

The Space Launch System (SLS) is an American Space Shuttle-derived heavy expendable launch vehicle. It is part of NASA's deep space exploration plans including as the main launch vehicle of the Artemis program. SLS follows the cancellation of the Constellation program, and is to replace the retired Space Shuttle.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    111.0 m
  • Diameter
    8.4 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    8.4 m
  • Launch Mass
    2628.0 T
  • Thrust
    39000.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Space Launch System (SLS)
  • Family
  • Variant
    Block 1
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Space Launch System Block 1
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $2000000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    95000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Orion Integrity


Active Human Rated Crew On-board: 4 Crew Capacity: 4 Payload Capacity: 100 kg
Destination: Circumlunar flyby
Serial Number: 003

Orion spacecraft used for Artemis 2.

Orion Details

Crew


Gregory R. Wiseman

Spacecraft Commander - configurations.Country.None - ( NASA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Nov. 11, 1975
Age: 50

Victor J. Glover

Pilot - configurations.Country.None - ( NASA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: April 30, 1976
Age: 49

Jeremy Hansen

Mission Specialist - configurations.Country.None - ( CSA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Jan. 27, 1976
Age: 49

Christina Koch

Mission Specialist - configurations.Country.None - ( NASA )

Status: Active

Date of Birth: Jan. 29, 1979
Age: 46

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA)

Acting Administrator: James Free Founded: 1958 Successes: 121 Failures: 20 Pending: 5

Agency Type:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

INFO WIKI

Related News

NASA

Artemis II Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez Gets Orion Ready for “Go”

By the time the Artemis II Orion spacecraft launches to the Moon next year, its many components will already have traveled thousands of miles and moved across multiple facilities before coming together at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Brane…

Spaceflight Now

Orion hatch ‘blemish’ delays launch day rehearsal for Artemis 2 astronauts

The temporary issue caused the agency to reorient its planned order of pre-rollout tests within the Vehicle Assembly Building. The agency continues to target an early February launch of the mission.

NASA

Artemis II Orion Spacecraft Stacked

In this Oct. 20, 2025, photo, NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft with its launch abort system is stacked atop the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Orion w…

SpaceNews

Shutdown could soon slow preparations for Artemis 2

Preparations for NASA’s Artemis 2 launch could soon grind to a halt if the nearly month-long government shutdown continues, one industry executive warned. The post Shutdown could soon slow preparations for Artemis 2 appeared first on Spac…

SpaceNews

Orion installed on SLS as Artemis 2 preparations continue during shutdown

The Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 2 mission has been installed on its Space Launch System rocket as preparations for the circumlunar flight continue despite a government shutdown. The post Orion installed on SLS as Artemis 2 preparatio…

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Launch Complex 39B


Long March 12
Success
1 day, 21 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 16
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. …


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 22 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-90
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
3 days, 9 hours ago
Starlink Group 15-11
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Kinetica 1
Success
3 days, 16 hours ago
9 satellites
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Share ride of 9 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit: * Satellite 813 (United Arab Emirates) * Jilin-1 Gaofen 07B-01/07C-01/07D-01 * Dongpo-15 …


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 1 hour ago
NROL-77
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.


Long March 3B/E
Success
4 days, 5 hours ago
TJSW-22
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Long March 4B
Success
4 days, 17 hours ago
Yaogan 47
Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The Yaogan 47 is a Chinese military “remote sensing” satellite of unknown purposes.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 22 hours ago
Starlink Group 6-92
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 6A
Success
4 days, 22 hours ago
SatNet LEO Group 15
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

A batch of 5 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group.…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 2 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-15
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.