The NASA Artemis program is basically America’s most ambitious lunar exploration effort since Apollo. NASA kicked it off in 2017, aiming to put people on the Moon for good, not just for a few days.
This program mixes wild new technology with a lot of international teamwork. NASA hopes all this will help us get ready for Mars someday.
NASA started Artemis because of Space Policy Directive 1 back in 2017. The main idea? Get humans back on the Moon—something nobody’s done since 1972.
Here’s what they want to achieve:
Artemis really zeroes in on the Moon’s South Pole. Why? There’s water ice there, which could be a game-changer for future bases. That frozen water could turn into drinking water, air, or even rocket fuel.
NASA plans to build Gateway, a lunar space station that’ll orbit the Moon. Gateway acts like a pit stop for missions and long-term lunar work.
Scientists hope Artemis will uncover new clues about the Moon’s 4.5-billion-year past. Maybe we’ll finally get a better grip on how Earth and the solar system came to be.
NASA named Artemis after the Greek goddess of the Moon—she’s Apollo’s twin sister. It’s a nod to the old Apollo missions from the ’60s and ’70s.
Apollo put 12 astronauts on the Moon between 1969 and 1972. Those trips were all about showing off American tech during the Cold War. The crews only stayed for a few days each time.
Artemis shakes things up in a few big ways:
Artemis builds on what Apollo started, but it’s not just a repeat. NASA’s using five decades of lessons to do things better this time.
The Artemis program leans heavily on international cooperation through the Artemis Accords. These guidelines lay out how countries should explore the Moon together and run lunar business.
Right now, 56 countries have signed on. They’re agreeing to be open, responsible, and to share what they learn. The accords also help protect historic lunar sites.
Some of the main international roles:
All this teamwork saves NASA money and builds global excitement for lunar exploration. It also means more people benefit from the science and tech breakthroughs.
Honestly, these partnerships are just the start. If we want to get to Mars, we’ll need even more global teamwork and resource sharing.
NASA set up Artemis with three big missions at the start, each one building on the last. Artemis I flew around the Moon without a crew. Artemis II will send astronauts out there for the first time since Apollo. Artemis III? That’s the one that’s supposed to land people near the lunar south pole.
Artemis I was the first big test—no crew, just hardware. NASA launched its huge Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft for a trip around the Moon.
This mission checked out the most important systems before risking any astronauts. The SLS rocket proved it could toss heavy stuff beyond Earth’s orbit. Orion orbited the Moon and made it back home safely.
Main things Artemis I did:
The whole thing lasted about 25 and a half days, from launch to splashdown. Engineers dug through a mountain of data to make sure everything’s safe for the next step.
Artemis II is where things get real. Four astronauts will swing around the Moon in Orion, but they won’t land just yet.
The crew will try out life support systems and see how humans and the spacecraft handle the trip. The mission should last about 10 days.
Mission Duration: About 10 days
Crew Size: 4 astronauts
Destination: Looping around the Moon
They’ll follow a path similar to Artemis I, but this time with people onboard to keep an eye on things and run tests. The astronauts will experiment and practice what they’ll need for the big lunar landing.
This mission should give everyone more confidence in Orion’s ability to carry humans so far from home. The crew will come back with hands-on experience that’ll help shape Artemis III.
Artemis III is the big one—NASA wants to put astronauts on the Moon again, targeting the south pole. That area is packed with scientific promise.
Two astronauts will head down to the surface, while the other two stay in orbit. The surface crew will spend about a week exploring, hunting for water ice, and running science experiments.
Main goals:
The whole mission should last around 21 days. Surface work will focus on grabbing samples, trying out gear, and figuring out how to actually live and work on another world.
What they learn here will lay the groundwork for NASA’s plans to stick around on the Moon—and go even farther later.
NASA built Orion to be the most advanced human-rated deep space vehicle yet. It’s packed with safety features, sustainable life support tech, and smart navigation systems. The whole design puts crew survival first—especially for long trips far from Earth’s protection.
Orion comes with several layers to keep astronauts safe. The Launch Abort System can yank the crew capsule away from a failing rocket in seconds, thanks to powerful motors.
Its heat shield is a beast—16.5 feet across and built to handle up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit during reentry. NASA already put it through the wringer in 2014 and again on Artemis I.
NASA switched Orion’s pressure vessel from 33 pieces to just seven welded parts. That change made it 700 pounds lighter and even stronger.
The parachute system brings Orion home safely. Three main chutes slow the capsule from 300 mph to about 20 mph before splashdown. NASA ran tons of tests to make sure it works every time.
Orion’s life support keeps a crew of four alive for up to 21 days. The Environmental Control and Life Support System manages air, temperature, and humidity. It scrubs out carbon dioxide and pumps in fresh oxygen.
Water recovery systems recycle moisture from the air, cutting down how much water NASA needs to launch. Backup tanks store extra water for emergencies.
Each astronaut gets a custom-fitted seat with restraints. The cabin isn’t huge, but it gives the crew enough space to move and handle daily routines.
Food storage holds enough meals for the trip, and there’s a heating system for the food. Waste management deals with the, well, less glamorous side of space travel—cleanly and safely.
Orion finds its way using GPS and star trackers. It can navigate on its own, but astronauts can take over if they need to. There are backup systems in case anything goes wrong.
Communication gear links Orion to Mission Control and other spacecraft. High-gain antennas keep voice and data flowing, even all the way out to the Moon.
Redundant computers run all the spacecraft’s systems and flag any issues for the crew. NASA can even send software updates from Earth.
Orion’s docking systems let it connect to other spacecraft or stations. Automated docking takes the pressure off the crew, but manual controls are there just in case.
NASA’s SLS rocket is the biggest, most powerful launcher they’ve ever built. It’s made to send Orion and astronauts all the way to the Moon. The SLS brings together new core stage tech with old-school solid rocket boosters, making it a real powerhouse for deep space.
The SLS core stage stands at 212 feet tall and holds four RS-25 engines. NASA used these engines on the Space Shuttle before, and now they crank out a combined 2 million pounds of thrust.
Two solid rocket boosters get strapped to the sides. Each one delivers 3.6 million pounds of thrust in the first two minutes. They burn through 1.4 million pounds of propellant in just over two minutes.
The whole SLS rocket, in its Block 1 form, stands 322 feet tall—about as high as a 32-story building. Fully fueled, it tips the scales at around 5.75 million pounds.
Specs that matter:
The first few SLS missions use the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage as the upper stage. It relies on a single RL10 engine burning liquid hydrogen and oxygen to push Orion toward the Moon.
Later missions will get the Exploration Upper Stage. That upgrade bumps up payload by 40% and lets NASA send crews straight to lunar orbit in one go.
The upper stage can restart its engine after drifting in space. That’s crucial for steering Orion into just the right orbit for the Moon.
NASA built the upper stage to survive the cold vacuum of space. Special insulation and thermal controls keep the cryogenic fuel from freezing up during the journey.
SLS launches only happen at Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This legendary pad once sent Apollo astronauts to the Moon and now supports a whole new era of lunar exploration.
Technicians stack SLS rocket segments inside the huge Vehicle Assembly Building during final assembly. This place is massive—it’s where rockets stand tall before rolling out to the pad.
Getting ready for launch takes months, starting from when the core stage arrives. Teams test every system thoroughly before they give the green light for astronauts to fly.
SLS launches use a four-day window each month. That timing matches the best orbital mechanics for getting to the Moon efficiently and using less fuel.
Kennedy Space Center in Florida runs the show for Artemis launches. The teams there handle everything—assembling spacecraft, prepping the crew, and managing mission integration.
NASA’s Artemis missions all lift off from Kennedy Space Center, right on Florida’s coast. The Vehicle Assembly Building stands out as a 525-foot-tall landmark, where technicians stack the SLS rocket piece by piece in its high bays.
Launch Pad 39B is the go-to spot for every Artemis liftoff. Engineers gave the pad a serious makeover, adding new flame deflectors and upgrading the mobile launcher.
The Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building is where Orion spacecraft parts come together. Not long ago, technicians powered up the Artemis III Orion crew module there for the first time. The building keeps everything spotless for sensitive work.
Kennedy’s Space Systems Processing Facility gets components ready before assembly. In July 2025, the Artemis III SLS engine section headed from this facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Kennedy teams juggle multiple Artemis missions at once. Right now, they’re working on Artemis II and Artemis III in different high bays, which speeds up mission preparation.
Starting with Artemis III, Kennedy manages the entire SLS core stage integration. That’s a shift from earlier missions, where NASA’s Michoud facility in Louisiana sent completed core stages. Now, Kennedy outfits the engine section and handles the top integration.
Astronaut training and preparation all happen at Kennedy’s facilities. The Artemis II crew recently got to see their Orion spacecraft in person. Mission specialists wrap up their final training at Kennedy before launch day.
During processing, teams install protective systems to keep components clean. They use air-conditioned canopies to shield delicate parts like the SLS engine section.
The Artemis spacecraft flies along carefully planned orbital paths around the Moon, then pulls off some tricky maneuvers to get back to Earth. Mission control keeps a close eye on every stage, from lunar arrival to splashdown recovery in the Pacific.
Orion slips into a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon during Artemis missions. This orbit sits about 40,000 miles above the lunar surface and actually goes against the Moon’s rotation.
The spacecraft fires its service module engines to tweak its position in orbit. These maneuvers burn just enough fuel to keep Orion on track for the trip home.
Key orbital operations:
Flight controllers in Houston track the spacecraft’s speed, altitude, and fuel use through the lunar phase. They don’t miss a detail.
For Artemis III, Orion will link up with SpaceX’s Starship in this special orbit. Two astronauts will move to the lunar lander, while the other two stay with Orion.
Orion barrels back to Earth at more than 25,000 mph from the Moon. Its heat shield takes a brutal 5,000-degree Fahrenheit beating during reentry.
Recovery ships wait in the Pacific Ocean, west of California, before splashdown. NASA’s recovery team brings divers, medical staff, and crane operators on board the main ship.
The capsule pops its parachutes in stages as it drops. Three big chutes slow Orion to about 20 mph before it hits the water.
Recovery crews reach the floating capsule within hours. They pump air into flotation bags to keep the spacecraft steady, then lift it onto the ship.
Mission control keeps in touch with the crew through splashdown and recovery. Flight surgeons monitor astronaut health until everyone’s safely on the recovery vessel.
The whole process—from splashdown to getting the crew out—takes several hours. NASA practices this routine over and over to make sure it goes smoothly for every Artemis return.
Artemis astronauts are about to kick off the first extended human operations beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years. The focus? The resource-rich lunar south pole. These missions will blend advanced spacewalks with new research to lay the groundwork for long-term lunar habitation.
The lunar south pole is a big deal for Artemis operations. This region hides craters that never see sunlight, trapping billions of tons of water ice—absolutely crucial for future explorers.
Shackleton Crater is the main target. Its rim gets almost nonstop sunlight, perfect for solar power. The dark interior preserves ancient ice, which crews can turn into drinking water, oxygen, or even rocket fuel.
The south pole’s lighting is wild. Some spots bask in sunlight for up to 200 days straight, while others stay frozen in darkness at -400°F.
Artemis crews will roll out special gear to map ice deposits. They’ll use drills to pull samples from up to 3 feet below the surface. Astronauts and robots will need to work in sync for this.
Navigation down there is tricky. There’s no GPS on the Moon, so crews rely on landmarks and radio beacons to keep their bearings.
Astronauts will suit up for plenty of spacewalks during their week on the Moon. Each crew member will spend up to 8 hours outside per EVA.
The main science goals? Geological sampling, ice extraction experiments, and telescope setup. Crews will collect rocks and soil from places no one’s ever visited. These samples help scientists piece together the Moon’s—and our solar system’s—story.
Scientific experiments will cover a lot of ground. Radio telescopes on the Moon can see deep space without Earth’s interference. The far side of the Moon is a perfect spot for this, shielded from all the noise back home.
Astronauts will also try out tech for Mars missions. They’ll practice building habitats with local materials and run equipment in low gravity. These skills will be crucial for future deep space trips.
Surface mobility is getting a major upgrade from the Apollo days. New spacesuits offer more flexibility and longer EVA times. Pressurized rovers let crews drive miles from their lander and stay safe.
Talking with Earth comes with a 3-second delay each way. That means crews have to be more independent than folks on the ISS. Mission Control can help, but during critical moments, the astronauts are on their own.
NASA picked four seasoned astronauts for Artemis II—the first crewed lunar flight in over half a century. The team has three NASA veterans and one Canadian astronaut, each bringing their own expertise and flight experience.
NASA selected the Artemis II crew from its active group of 47 astronauts. They looked for people with deep spaceflight experience and the right skills for lunar travel.
Reid Wiseman leads as mission commander, drawing on his time aboard the International Space Station. He’ll oversee all mission operations and keep the crew safe during the 10-day journey.
Victor Glover steps in as pilot, handling navigation and flight duties. Glover will be the first Black astronaut to fly to the Moon—a pretty historic moment.
Christina Koch serves as mission specialist, bringing expertise in spacewalks and long missions. She actually holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
Rounding out the crew, Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency joins as another mission specialist. His spot on the team highlights international teamwork in lunar exploration.
The Artemis II crew brings together a mix of backgrounds and serious qualifications. Each astronaut adds something unique to the mission.
Reid Wiseman takes command, backed by leadership experience from his time as ISS commander. He knows how to manage complex operations in space.
Victor Glover pilots Orion around the Moon. His resume includes piloting and long-duration missions on the space station. NASA’s choice of Glover marks a real step forward for crew diversity.
Christina Koch brings deep knowledge of spacewalks and science ops. Her long-mission experience will come in handy for the 10-day flight. Koch is also the first woman picked for a Moon mission since Apollo.
Jeremy Hansen represents the spirit of international cooperation. The Canadian astronaut has test pilot chops and solid training in spacecraft systems. His inclusion shows just how global space exploration has become.
The Artemis program is pushing science and technology forward in a big way. The focus is on lunar exploration and building advanced spacecraft systems that can support people living and working beyond Earth.
Artemis missions aim for scientific objectives that will expand what we know about the Moon and the solar system. The south pole is a top target, especially with those hidden water ice deposits that could help future crews stick around longer.
Artemis II astronauts will kick off the first human lunar science work in more than 50 years. They’ll snap photos and study geological features from 4,000 to 6,000 miles above the Moon.
The crew will check out impact craters and ancient lava flows, especially on the far side. These observations help scientists piece together how the Moon formed and changed over billions of years.
Key research areas:
Artemis III astronauts will grab rock samples straight from the Moon’s surface. Those samples will keep scientists busy in Earth labs for decades.
The missions will also try to figure out what’s behind the mysterious dust clouds that sometimes show up above the Moon’s horizon. Scientists are eager to get to the bottom of that odd phenomenon.
Artemis spacecraft bring along some pretty advanced scientific instruments, opening up new kinds of space research. These payloads let NASA test tech for future Mars trips and, at the same time, gather valuable data about the Moon.
Orion carries experiments that track crew health during deep space travel. NASA uses this information to figure out how space affects people over long stretches of time.
Artemis missions put surface instruments on the Moon to study its properties and resources. These tools check for seismic activity, temperature changes, and what minerals are in the ground.
Technology demonstrations include:
Future Artemis missions will try out gear that makes fuel and water from lunar materials. That step is absolutely essential if we want to stick around on the Moon or head out to Mars.
The Gateway lunar space station will let astronauts test deep space tech in a real environment. They’ll get to see how new systems actually work before relying on them for Mars missions.
Artemis crews go through extensive preparation at Kennedy Space Center. They take part in launch simulations, emergency drills, and specialized training programs.
Mission Control pulls the strings behind the scenes, making sure astronauts can handle both the expected and the unexpected on lunar missions.
The Artemis II crew wrapped up launch rehearsals inside the real Orion spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center in July 2024. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen suited up and ran through launch day routines.
During the suited test, the crew hooked into Orion’s communications and life support systems while the spacecraft ran on full power. They checked comms and suits in conditions that were almost identical to the real launch.
Without their spacesuits, the crew also practiced equipment interface tests. They removed and stowed foot pans from the seats to make more room in the cabin.
Astronauts explored storage lockers and got familiar with cameras, cables, and life support hardware they’ll use on the 10-day lunar trip.
These rehearsals give Mission Control a chance to check if equipment works together and to fine-tune flight procedures before launch.
Training teams run astronauts through all sorts of ground and flight scenarios to prepare them for problems that might pop up. Cabin leaks and air system failures are just a couple of the emergencies they practice handling.
Astronauts rehearse fast responses to air revitalization system fan failures. That system keeps oxygen flowing and pulls out carbon dioxide—pretty important for staying alive.
The training covers different failure scenarios that could crop up in deep space. Astronauts learn to spot problems and fix them, with Mission Control backing them up from Earth.
Ground teams at Kennedy Space Center team up with flight controllers to build solid emergency procedures. This teamwork keeps communication clear between the spacecraft and Mission Control if things go sideways.
Right now, Artemis II focuses on spacecraft operations rather than spacewalks outside the vehicle. The 10-day mission will test how people handle deep space as they swing around the Moon and head back to Earth.
Crew members practice intravehicular activities inside Orion’s cabin. They move around and run systems while suited up during critical moments.
Future Artemis missions will bring much more spacewalk training for lunar surface work. Artemis III astronauts will need to master walking on the Moon and doing scientific experiments.
The current training builds up the basics. Astronauts work on their fitness and technical know-how for even more challenging space tasks down the road.
Artemis acts as NASA’s big leap toward deeper space. The plan includes a permanent lunar space station and all sorts of Mars prep. These ambitious goals could turn the Moon into our first real outpost beyond Earth.
NASA wants to build Gateway, a compact space station that will orbit the Moon and support lunar surface missions. This will be the first permanent human presence beyond Earth’s orbit.
Gateway will work as a multi-purpose hub. Astronauts can live and work there for months. The station will host scientific research, act as a comms relay, and serve as a jumping-off point for lunar surface ops.
It’s a lot smaller than the International Space Station but still has living quarters, labs, and docking ports. Power comes from big solar arrays that rotate to follow the Sun.
Gateway’s orbit takes it around both sides of the Moon, which saves fuel and keeps a steady line of communication with Earth. It also gives access to the whole lunar surface.
NASA will kick off construction with Artemis IV by launching the first Gateway modules. The station will grow as more pieces arrive on later missions.
Artemis directly supports NASA’s goal to send humans to Mars by the 2030s. The Moon acts as a proving ground for the tech and procedures Mars missions will need.
Astronauts will practice living and working far from Earth for long stretches. They’ll try out life support systems, spacesuits, and vehicles in the tough lunar environment.
The program will show how to use in-situ resource utilization on the Moon—basically, making water, oxygen, and fuel from lunar stuff instead of hauling it from Earth. Mars missions will have to do the same.
Deep space navigation and comms systems get a real workout during lunar missions. Mars trips will deal with similar slow communications and tricky orbits.
NASA will look closely at how deep space radiation affects health over time. Moon missions expose astronauts to the same radiation they’ll face on the way to Mars.
The Artemis program sparks a lot of questions—about its lunar goals, international teamwork through Gateway, mission phases, Mars prep, new tech like SLS and Orion, and safety steps like heat shield protection.
NASA built Artemis to put people on the Moon for the long haul and get ready for Mars. The main goal is to land astronauts at the lunar South Pole, a place humans have never explored.
Instead of quick visits near the equator like Apollo, Artemis plans to stick around and do science and resource work. Astronauts will actually live and work on the Moon for longer stretches.
Scientists believe exploring the lunar South Pole could reveal key info about water ice and how the solar system formed. That knowledge will help with future deep space missions and boost our understanding of planetary science.
NASA leads the biggest international space team ever with Artemis. The Canadian Space Agency adds astronaut Jeremy Hansen to Artemis II and supplies robotic systems for lunar work.
International partners will help build and run the Gateway lunar station, which supports surface missions. This team approach shares costs and expertise across space agencies.
The partnership even goes beyond governments. Commercial companies from different countries bring new tech and skills to the table—stuff that would be tough for one country to do alone.
Artemis I finished an uncrewed test flight in 2022, showing that the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft work. This mission tested the main systems and gave NASA data for future crewed flights.
Artemis II will send four astronauts around the Moon in April 2026 using Orion. The 10-day mission will make sure all systems work with people aboard in deep space.
Artemis III aims to land astronauts on the Moon in mid-2027 with SpaceX’s Starship lander. Two crew members will explore and collect samples, while two others stay in lunar orbit.
Later missions will build Gateway and set up permanent research bases. These steps lay the groundwork for sustained lunar operations.
The Moon acts as a training ground for Mars. Astronauts will practice living and working far from Earth, just like they’ll need to on Mars.
Deep space operations around the Moon let crews get used to communication delays and isolation. These missions test life support and emergency systems in real conditions.
Lunar missions will develop advanced spacesuits, habitats, and resource tech that Mars explorers will count on. Experience from Artemis will feed directly into the push for Mars.
The Space Launch System rocket gives Orion and its crew the muscle to reach the Moon. This advanced rocket system carries more weight than any NASA rocket before.
Orion comes packed with life support, radiation shielding, and heat shields for deep space. It can keep four astronauts alive for extended missions beyond Earth’s safety net.
Next-generation spacesuits let astronauts work on the Moon through wild temperature swings. They offer mobility, comms, and life support for long surface shifts.
Gateway will use advanced propulsion and power systems to hold its orbit. The station will anchor lunar operations and future deep space missions.
Orion comes equipped with an emergency abort system. If something goes wrong during launch, this system can yank the crew capsule away from the rocket in seconds.
This escape capability covers the entire launch phase, which is honestly pretty reassuring.
The spacecraft’s heat shield stands between astronauts and the brutal 5,000-degree Fahrenheit temperatures during reentry to Earth. NASA tested this shield over and over, tweaking reentry procedures after learning from Artemis I.
Before sending anyone up, mission planners put every system through some tough tests. The Artemis I mission really gave engineers a ton of data, which they used to make things safer for future crews.
Astronauts go through intense training for emergencies and system failures. That way, they’re ready to tackle unexpected problems on their way to and from the Moon.
