Artemis II

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Images, Videos & Interactives

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

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.

Illustration of Artemis II flight path from Earth to Moon with text: Artemis II is taking astronauts back toward the Moon. A day-to-day guide of NASA's 10-day mission.

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.

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.

Artemis II: Media

United States space mission

Videos

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.

Why Artemis II Is Taking Us Back to the Moon

NASA's Artemis program is looking to the Moon—and beyond.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Can Astronaut Cells Survive Deep Space?

Artemis II is sending human organs around the Moon. Why?

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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.

Naming “A Bright Spot on the Moon”

Artemis II astronauts named a new crater after their commander's late wife.

Video: NASA/Reuters

Images

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 launch of Artemis II

Launch of Artemis II from the Kennedy Space Center, April 1, 2026. Artemis II carried...

Aubrey Gemignani/NASA

The return of Artemis II

The return of Artemis II

The Orion space capsule seconds before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, April...

Bill Ingalls/NASA

Infographic of NASA's Orion mission path showing numbered stages from liftoff, Earth orbit, lunar flyby, to reentry and splashdown.

Artemis II mission profile: Orion crewed lunar flyby trajectory

Diagram of the Artemis II flight path showing Orion's launch, Earth orbit maneuvers,...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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.

Earth sets behind Moon

Photograph taken of the Moon and Earth during the Artemis II flyby on April 6, 2026.

JSC/NASA

Orion spacecraft

Integrity, the Orion spacecraft used the Artemis II mission, launched in...

JSC/NASA

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.

Artemis II crew

(From left) NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), and Victor Glover,...

NASA

Portrait of NASA astronaut Victor Glover in an orange spacesuit, facing forward with a neutral expression against a dark background.

A history-making astronaut

Victor Glover, Jr., is the pilot of the Artemis II mission, which launched to the...

Josh Valcarcel—JSC/NASA

Portrait of NASA astronaut Christina Koch wearing an orange flight suit with mission patches and an American flag.

Christina Koch

Astronaut Christina Koch became the first American woman to travel to the Moon as...

Josh Valcarcel/NASA

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

Jeremy Hansen is a Canadian Space Agency astronaut who is part of the crew of the...

Josh Valcarcel/NASA

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).

Earth, viewed from the Orion spacecraft

A rare photograph that captures Earth's full face was taken by Artemis II commander...

Reid Wiseman/NASA

View of Earth from space showing the curved Terminator Line dividing the sunlit side with clouds and oceans from the dark night side, photographed by NASA's Artemis II mission.

terminator line

A photograph of Earth from the Artemis II mission in 2026 showing the terminator...

JSC/NASA

Detailed illuminated image of the Moon showing both the near side with dark lava flows and the far side, including the large Orientale basin crater near the center.

Moon's near side

In this fully illuminated view of the Moon, the near side (the hemisphere we observe...

JSC/NASA

Labeled map of Earth's moon showing major craters and basins, including Orientale Basin, Aristarchus Plateau, Jackson, Aitken, Apollo Basin, and several unnamed craters.

map of the lunar surface

A map of one face of the Moon showing selected landmarks and two unnamed craters....

NASA

View from Orion spacecraft of a total solar eclipse during Artemis II, showing part of the Moon's dark surface obscuring the Sun with a faint glowing corona around the edge.

eclipse

The passage of Artemis II behind the Moon on April 6, 2026, allowed the astronauts...

JSC/NASA

The Moon fully eclipses the Sun, revealing the Sun's glowing corona as a halo around the dark lunar disk, with faint stars visible in the background, captured by Artemis II.

eclipse of the sun

A photograph of a total eclipse of the Sun by the Moon from the Moon's dark side.

JSC/NASA

Artemis II: splashdown

Artemis II: splashdown

The Orion space capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, April 10, 2026.

Bill Ingalls/NASA

Artemis II: recovery

Artemis II: recovery

Recovery teams working to secure the Orion space capsule shortly after splashdown...

Joel Kowsky/NASA

Artemis II: recovery

Artemis II: recovery

Astronauts from Artemis II being hoisted into a helicopter and taken to an awaiting...

James Blair/NASA

Artemis II comes home

Artemis II comes home

Astronauts Victor Glover, Jr. (center left) and Christina Koch sitting in a helicopter...

Bill Ingalls/NASA

Artemis II returns

Artemis II returns

Astronauts Reid Wiseman (third from left) and Jeremy Hansen sitting in a helicopter...

Bill Ingalls/NASA

Photograph of the interior of the Orion capsule showing ductwork and all four members of the crew.

Artemis II crew

Mission commander NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman (far left), Canadian Space Agency astronaut...

NASA

The Artemis II crew-Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman-smile and give thumbs up for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft with U.S. and Canadian flags visible.

Artemis II crew members

Members of the Artemis II crew, (from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission...

JSC/NASA

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman gazes out of the Orion spacecraft window at Earth, with the planet visible against the darkness of space during the Artemis II lunar mission.

Artemis II

Commander Reid Wiseman looks out at Earth from the Orion spacecraft's main cabin...

NASA

Interactives

Illustration of Artemis II flight path from Earth to Moon with text: Artemis II is taking astronauts back toward the Moon. A day-to-day guide of NASA's 10-day mission.

Artemis II flight path

Animation of the flight path that Artemis II will take on its mission around the...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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