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Artemis II: Quick Facts

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News •

NASA's Artemis II launch from Florida tore huge 'hole' in atmosphere • Nov. 6, 2026, 11:16 AM ET (The Florida Times-Union)
NASA's Artemis II moon launch tore a hole in Earth's upper atmosphere so huge it disrupted GPS signals • Nov. 4, 2026, 12:00 PM ET (Space)
China publicly discloses plan for a lunar landing within three years • Nov. 2, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (Ars Technica)
From the moon to Caltech: Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman joins campus after historic mission • Oct. 30, 2026, 4:21 PM ET (Los Angeles Daily News)
Caltech Names Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman as NASA JPL Deputy • Oct. 28, 2026, 10:49 PM ET (NASA (.gov))

Facts

Context Artemis

Photos and Videos

NASA's Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft lifts off for Artemis II, with cameras set up in the foreground and launch towers framing the scene.
The return of Artemis II
Infographic of NASA's Orion mission path showing numbered stages from liftoff, Earth orbit, lunar flyby, to reentry and splashdown.
Earth appears to set above the curved, cratered horizon of the Moon, with part of Earth illuminated and swirling clouds visible, captured by Artemis II crew in space.
Close-up view of NASA's Orion spacecraft in space, showing the capsule's exterior with NASA logo and American flag, photographed during the Artemis II mission.
NASA's Artemis II crew portrait with Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen in orange space suits against a dark background.
Portrait of NASA astronaut Victor Glover in an orange spacesuit, facing forward with a neutral expression against a dark background.
Portrait of NASA astronaut Christina Koch wearing an orange flight suit with mission patches and an American flag.
Portrait of Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen in an orange spacesuit with mission patches and a Canadian flag on the shoulder, facing forward against a dark background.
Photograph of Earth in space capturing the full face of the planet. The image is roughly centered on the Atlantic Ocean with a cloud-covered Antarctica (top) and North Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula (bottom left).
Illustration of a spacecraft above the lunar surface with the text "we're sending astronauts into DEEP SPACE" and a blue arrow pointing toward the spacecraft.
A man in glasses and a light blue turtleneck sits on a green couch by a window. Over his head is text reading “NASA put organs on a chip?” with a brain illustration and a computer chip graphic.
Four Artemis II astronauts gather inside a spacecraft, surrounded by equipment, as a caption explains they named a moon crater "Carroll" for Reid Wiseman's late wife.
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Portrait of NASA astronaut Christina Koch wearing an orange flight suit with mission patches and an American flag.
Christina Koch
American astronaut
Portrait of Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen in an orange spacesuit with mission patches and a Canadian flag on the shoulder, facing forward against a dark background.
Jeremy Hansen
Canadian astronaut
Artemis II crew members Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover wear eclipse glasses and smile while floating in their spacecraft during a lunar mission.
Reid Wiseman
American astronaut
Portrait of NASA astronaut Victor Glover in an orange spacesuit, facing forward with a neutral expression against a dark background.
Victor Glover, Jr.
American astronaut