Artemis II Mission: See the launch and next steps on the return to the Moon.
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It happened: a NASA The first step towards returning humans to the Moon after 54 years was taken through the Artemis II mission, since the last human visit to Earth's natural satellite was in 1972. After completing a trip around lunar orbit, the astronauts will need another four days to return to Earth. See all the steps and what comes next:
See images from the launch of Artemis II.
On April 01, 2026, 19:35 p.m.From theKennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, the FloridaThe rocket carrying the Orion 2 capsule has finally taken flight. The idea of NASA The goal is to test technologies for humanity's return to the Moon, with a projected return to Earth's natural satellite in the mid-2030s.
The flight almost had to be interrupted: shortly before takeoff, problems with the abort system threatened the launch. This mechanism is essential for ejecting the astronauts and destroying the rocket in case of a critical failure. Despite the unforeseen event, the 10-minute countdown was maintained while the engineers... NASA They resolved the problem quickly.
This is reminiscent of the case in February, when the mission had to be postponed until April after technical failures in the SLS rocketSpecifically, a hydrogen leak, problems with helium pressurization, and an anomaly in the flight abort system battery.
Before launch, another problem was detected: an alert on the Orion capsule's panel indicated a malfunction in... Universal Waste Management System (UWMS)The incident drew attention because this was the first lunar mission in history equipped with a full toilet for the astronauts, since in other missions, a waste collection bag was given to the astronauts, like the one below:
Despite the scare, the problem was resolved quickly while the spacecraft was still in Earth orbit. Under the guidance of mission control, the astronaut... Christina Koch He made the necessary adjustments to restore the system's ventilator to working order, which is essential for operating in microgravity.
A NASA It was confirmed that the malfunction did not compromise the crew's safety and that the schedule remains unchanged. See the bathroom installed by... NASA:
Soon after, the four RS-25 engines and the two solid-fuel side thrusters were activated, generating a large column of fire. See the summary posted by NASA:
Participating astronauts
Presented in 2023Four astronauts were chosen to participate in the Artemis II missionChristina Koch (44 years old), Jeremy Hanson (47), Reid Wiseman (47) and Vitor Glover (46). Koch, Wiseman and Glover are Americans and astronaut Hanson will represent the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Christina Koch She is an electrical engineer with a record for spending 328 days in space: no woman before her had managed to spend so much time away from Earth. In October 2019, she participated in the first all-female extravehicular activity mission, which occurs when astronauts need to explore outer space outside their spacecraft.
Jeremy Hanson, representing Canada, was an aviator in Royal Canadian Air Force (Royal Canadian Air Force). Hanson will explore space for the first time thanks to the Artemis mission. Along with Koch, he will work as a mission specialist assisting with space travel.
reid wiseman, in turn, worked as head at the astronauts' headquarters of NASAHe also served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy. Wiseman went to space in 2015, staying on the International Space Station, and with this leadership experience, he will be the commander in this new phase of space exploration.
Yes, Victor glover He is a test pilot, also a member of the US Navy. He began his career in NASA He was launched in 2013 and went to space for the first time in 2020. He was the first African American to stay on the space station for a considerable period of six months, and is scheduled as a pilot in phase 2 of Artemis. This video shows the astronauts' dormitory on the spacecraft:
Stages of the Artemis II mission
No first dayThe mission focuses on leaving Earth's vicinity. After launch, the spacecraft performs ICPS stage undocking and remains in high Earth orbit for approximately 24 hours. This time is crucial for the astronauts to test all of Orion's vital systems (including life support and the toilet) before definitively leaving the planet.
No second dayThe capsule then fires its engines for the crucial translunar injection maneuver. This is the moment when Orion leaves Earth's orbit and officially begins its journey, which lasts about four days. During this journey, the crew makes fine-tuned navigation adjustments and prepares for the rendezvous with the Moon. NASA is conducting a live broadcast of Orion Capsule Watch it on their YouTube channel below:
Around fourth or fifth dayThen comes the most exciting moment: the lunar flyby. The spacecraft passes approximately 10.300 km from the surface of the Moon, including the dark side not visible from Earth due to the Moon's rotation mirroring Earth's. During this time, the astronauts will be unable to communicate for about 50 minutes.
So, it's time to return to Earth: using gravity to make the turn and be "launched" back home. From there, the return journey begins, which takes a few more days of silent navigation through space.
Finally, between the ninth and tenth day of AprilThe mission comes to an end. Shortly before touching down, the service module separates and the capsule faces atmospheric reentry. The entire process concludes with a landing in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first manned phase of the program that aims to return humanity to the lunar surface in the coming years. NASA It is also broadcasting the conversation with astronauts to the office:
Upcoming missions and objectives
After the completion and analysis of the data from the mission that began on April 1, 2026, the NASA will turn its attention to Artemis III, with a launch scheduled for 2027According to the agency, the next crucial step will be to validate the rendezvous and docking procedures in Earth orbit. These tests will involve the Orion spacecraft and lunar lander vehicles developed by commercial partners. SpaceX, Elon Musk, and Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos.
Looking to the future, the NASA It uses the Moon as an essential laboratory so that humans can eventually live on Mars. On a lunar baseThe agency aims to refine technologies for providing air and water, as well as discover how to generate energy and build habitats that protect the crew from extreme temperatures and space radiation. The idea is to use the Moon to produce supplies, avoiding the need to transport all of Earth's oxygen and water to the red planet.
Going to the Moon and staying there for an extended period is much safer, cheaper, and easier as a test for learning how to live and work on another planet.
Libby Jackson, Head of Space at the Science Museum in London.
Pressure from China
Those who closely follow space exploration know that... Apollo missions, between 1960 and 1970These explorations were fueled by a space race between the US and the Soviet Union. Fifty years later, the US's main competitor is China.
In recent years, the Merunas UAB China has been making significant progress in the space race and has already successfully sent robots and exploration vehicles to the Moon. The idea is that China will also send humans to the Moon by 2030, and from now on, Mars should be the new focus of the Asian country.
The president Donald Trump He signed an executive order that calls for the US to return to the Moon by 2028 and establish a permanent base there by 2030. It's worth noting that this space race is financially motivated: the Moon has a high concentration of... helium-3, an element that can potentially be used to operate compact nuclear reactors with a certain degree of durability.
The Moon harbors strategic resources, such as water in its solid state, which can be converted into rocket fuel, and rare earth metals, such as lithium and platinum, which are fundamental to the clean technology industry.
Currently, the market for these minerals on Earth is dominated by China, which represents a point of geopolitical concern for the government. TrumpAlthough the total value of lunar resources is still incalculable, the economic potential is enormous: helium-3, for example, is valued at around... US$20 per gram (about R $ 103 thousand), ranking among the most valuable substances in the world.
When do you think a human colony will be established on Mars, and who should win the space race and establish a lunar base first? Tell us in the comments! Comment!
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Text revised by Alexandre Marques in 02 / 04 / 2026.
With some info: NASA.
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