Artemis II will be NASA's first crewed mission to the vicinity of the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission will send four astronauts around the Moon to test all of Orion's systems with crew aboard in preparation for future lunar landing missions.
The approximately 10-day mission will demonstrate Orion's capabilities for deep space flight and validate critical systems required for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. The crew will perform a powered lunar flyby, traveling farther from Earth than any human since the Apollo program.
Artemis II launches from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 rocket with the Orion spacecraft.
launchOrion reaches initial Earth orbit after separation from the SLS core stage. The spacecraft enters a safe elliptical orbit while systems are checked.
earth-orbitAfter reaching high Earth orbit, Orion separates from the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) and performs proximity operations demonstration, testing manual piloting capabilities.
earth-orbitOrion's service module performs the translunar injection burn, propelling the spacecraft toward the Moon and setting it on a free-return trajectory.
outboundFirst of three outbound trajectory correction burns to refine Orion's path toward lunar flyby.
outboundSecond trajectory correction maneuver ensures Orion stays on target for its lunar flyby.
outboundFinal outbound trajectory correction burn before entering the lunar sphere of influence.
outboundCrew begins lunar observation period, passing between 6,400 and 9,700 km (4,000-6,000 miles) above the lunar surface - much higher than the Apollo missions which orbited at approximately 110 km.
lunar-flybyOrion reaches its closest point to the Moon, flying over the far side and temporarily losing contact with Earth for approximately 30-50 minutes.
lunar-flybyOrion reaches its farthest point from Earth at approximately 400,000 km (250,000 miles), traveling farther from Earth than any human has been in over 50 years.
deep-spaceFirst of three return trajectory correction burns to ensure safe reentry path to Earth.
returnSecond return trajectory correction maneuver refines Orion's path for splashdown.
returnFinal trajectory correction burn, completed five hours before entry interface.
returnOrion's service module separates from the crew module, exposing the heat shield for reentry. The service module will burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
reentryOrion reaches entry interface at 400,000 feet (76 miles) altitude, beginning atmospheric entry at approximately 40,000 km/h (25,000 mph) - the fastest crewed reentry speed ever attempted.
reentryOrion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, concluding the approximately 9-day mission and paving the way for future Artemis lunar landings.
recoveryTimeline data sourced from NASA's Artemis II Press Kit
The Apollo program set numerous records for human spaceflight. Artemis II will approach or exceed several of these historic achievements as we return to deep space exploration.
James Lovell, Fred Haise, Jack Swigert
Apollo 13 holds the record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth. The mission was aborted after an oxygen tank explosion, and the crew used a free-return trajectory that took them around the far side of the Moon at this record distance.
Artemis II Comparison:
Artemis II will travel approximately 370,000 km from Earth, approaching but not exceeding this distance record.
Thomas Stafford, John Young, Eugene Cernan
Apollo 10 achieved the highest speed ever attained by a crewed vehicle during its return from the Moon, reaching 39,897 km/h (24,791 mph) relative to Earth during reentry.
Artemis II Comparison:
Artemis II will return at approximately 40,000 km/h (25,000 mph), potentially setting a new speed record for crewed vehicles.
Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, Ronald Evans
Apollo 17 was the final Apollo mission and marked the last time humans traveled beyond low Earth orbit. The mission lasted 12 days and included 22 hours of lunar surface exploration.
Artemis II Comparison:
Artemis II will be the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17, ending a 54-year gap in deep space human exploration.
Frank Borman, James Lovell, William Anders
Apollo 8 was the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon, completing 10 orbits. The mission provided the famous 'Earthrise' photograph and proved that humans could travel to and from the Moon safely.
Artemis II Comparison:
Artemis II will not enter lunar orbit but will perform a powered flyby, using the Moon's gravity for a free-return trajectory similar to Apollo 13.
Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins
Apollo 11 achieved the first successful crewed lunar landing, with Armstrong and Aldrin spending 21.5 hours on the lunar surface and performing one moonwalk lasting 2 hours 31 minutes.
Artemis II Comparison:
Artemis II will not land on the Moon. The first Artemis landing is planned for Artemis III, which will include the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.
The Apollo program conducted 9 crewed missions to the Moon between 1968 and 1972 (Apollo 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17). Six of these missions successfully landed on the lunar surface.
Artemis II Comparison:
The Artemis program plans multiple missions to establish sustainable lunar exploration, with Artemis II serving as the first crewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft around the Moon.