NASA to send crewed Orion spacecraft on a flight around the Moon

Just like the U.S. dominates in the world, NASA plans maintain its dominance in space exploration with Artemis II mission.

The 10-day mission is expected to begin in April 2026.

Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II.

The 10-day flight will test NASA's foundational human deep space exploration capabilities.

Artemis II builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022, and will demonstrate a broad range of capabilities needed on deep space missions.

During the mission, the crew will assess the performance of the life support systems necessary to generate breathable air and remove the carbon dioxide and water vapor produced when the astronauts breathe, talk, or exercise.

The crew will also test the systems during exercise periods, where the crew’s metabolic rate is the highest, and a sleep period, where the crew’s metabolic rate is the lowest.