More than fifty years have passed since a human last stood on the Moon. In December 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt climbed back into their lunar module and left, and no one has walked there since. Now, NASA is working to change that with a programme named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology: Artemis.
Artemis is NASA’s plan to return humans to the Moon, build a lasting presence there, and use what it learns to prepare for the first crewed missions to Mars. It involves rockets taller than a 30-storey building, a new crew capsule, commercial lunar landers built by private companies, and an international group of partner countries.
The story has also moved quickly in the last year. In April 2026, Artemis II carried four astronauts around the Moon, the first crewed lunar mission in over half a century, and NASA has since reshaped its plan for the missions that follow. This guide explains all of it in simple terms, from the basics to the latest schedule. No space background needed.
What Is the Artemis Program?
Artemis is a series of NASA missions, working together with international and commercial partners, with these main goals:
- Return humans to the Moon, this time to the lunar south pole region rather than the equatorial areas visited during Apollo.
- Build a sustainable presence, meaning regular missions and eventually a base, rather than a handful of short visits.
- Test technology and skills needed for future journeys deeper into space, including Mars.
- Work with partners, including space agencies from other countries and private companies.
In Greek mythology, Artemis is the goddess of the Moon and the twin sister of Apollo. NASA chose the name to show that this new chapter builds on the Apollo legacy while being something fresh.
Why Go Back to the Moon?
It is a fair question. We went to the Moon in the 1960s and 70s, so why return? There are several reasons.
Science. The Moon is a time capsule. Its surface has barely changed in billions of years, so it holds a record of the early solar system, including the history of impacts on Earth and the Moon. Apollo only visited a few locations, and there is much more to learn.
Water ice. Scientists have found strong evidence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters near the Moon’s south pole, places where sunlight never reaches. Water is hugely valuable. It can be used for drinking, and it can be split into hydrogen and oxygen to make breathable air and rocket fuel.
A testing ground for Mars. The Moon is only about three days away, while Mars is months away. That makes it an ideal place to practise living and working on another world, and to test equipment, before attempting something much riskier.
Technology and the economy. Building new rockets, landers, spacesuits, and habitats drives innovation and creates jobs, and many space technologies end up helping us on Earth too.
Inspiration and cooperation. Few things inspire people like exploration. Artemis is also built around cooperation between nations, which can bring countries together around a shared goal.
The Hardware: What Makes Artemis Work
Going to the Moon takes a lot of equipment. Here are the main pieces.
The Space Launch System (SLS)
The Space Launch System, or SLS, is the giant rocket that launches Artemis missions. It stands about 98 metres tall, taller than the Statue of Liberty including its base, and produces about 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. It is one of the most powerful rockets ever flown. Two huge solid rocket boosters and four main engines work together to push the spacecraft off the ground and out of Earth’s gravity.
The Orion Spacecraft
Orion is the capsule that carries the astronauts. It is designed to take four people to the Moon and back, keep them safe in deep space, and bring them home through a fiery re-entry at nearly 40,000 kilometres per hour. Orion’s engine and power system, called the European Service Module, is built by the European Space Agency, which is a good example of international teamwork in Artemis.
Orion’s heat shield protects the crew from temperatures around 2,800°C, about half as hot as the surface of the Sun, during return to Earth.
The Human Landing Systems
Orion itself does not land on the Moon. The landing will be done by separate vehicles called Human Landing Systems (HLS). NASA has chosen two commercial companies to build them:
- SpaceX, with a version of its giant Starship vehicle.
- Blue Origin, with its Blue Moon lander.
Using two providers gives NASA a backup and encourages competition. These landers are still in development, and their readiness is one of the biggest factors shaping the schedule.
Spacesuits
New moonwalking suits are being developed by commercial partners. They are designed to be more flexible than Apollo suits and to fit a wider range of astronauts, with better protection from the Moon’s harsh environment, including extreme temperatures and abrasive dust.
The Missions So Far
Artemis I: The Uncrewed Test (2022)
Artemis I launched on 16 November 2022, sending an uncrewed Orion around the Moon and back over about 25 days. Its purpose was to prove that the SLS rocket and Orion could fly safely and survive re-entry before putting people on board. The mission was a success, and it travelled farther from Earth than any spacecraft built for humans had gone before. Mannequins fitted with sensors measured radiation and other conditions inside the capsule.
Artemis II: Humans Return to the Moon’s Neighbourhood (2026)
Artemis II was the first crewed flight of the programme. It launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 1 April 2026 and ended with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on 10 April 2026, after a flight of roughly ten days.
The four-person crew was:
- Reid Wiseman, commander (NASA)
- Victor Glover, pilot (NASA)
- Christina Koch, mission specialist (NASA)
- Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist (Canadian Space Agency)
Hansen’s presence made him the first non-American to travel to the Moon’s neighbourhood, reflecting the international spirit of the programme.
The crew called their Orion capsule Integrity. It did not land on the Moon or even enter lunar orbit. Instead, it flew a path that looped around the Moon and returned to Earth using the Moon’s gravity, a route known as a free-return trajectory. During the flyby, the astronauts travelled farther from Earth than any humans in history, reaching about 406,771 kilometres from our planet, passing the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. They photographed the Moon up close, captured a striking view of Earth setting behind the lunar surface, and even spoke with the crew aboard the International Space Station.
The mission’s main job was to test Orion’s life-support systems, navigation, communications, and heat shield with real people on board. Re-entry was dramatic, with the capsule hitting the atmosphere at about 39,000 kilometres per hour and slowing to a gentle splashdown under parachutes. NASA described it as a very successful flight. The crew also reported some minor issues, such as plumbing problems, which is exactly the kind of thing a test flight is meant to uncover before longer missions.
What Comes Next? The Updated Plan
NASA’s schedule has changed over time, and this is worth explaining clearly because older articles can be out of date.
Originally, Artemis III was supposed to be the first crewed Moon landing. In early 2026, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a revised plan. The agency decided to add an extra practice step, because the commercial landers still need testing, and because a gradual build-up reduces risk. Here is how the missions now line up.
Artemis III: A Docking Test in Earth Orbit (targeted for mid-2027)
Artemis III is no longer a landing mission. Instead, an Orion crew will stay in orbit around Earth and practise rendezvous and docking with one or both of the commercial landers, Starship and Blue Moon. It will also test other systems, including a new spacesuit. Think of it as a dress rehearsal for the real thing, done close to home where a rescue is easier if something goes wrong.
Artemis IV: The First Landing (targeted for early 2028)
Artemis IV is now planned as the mission that returns humans to the lunar surface, near the Moon’s south pole. Astronauts will launch aboard SLS and Orion, travel to the Moon, dock with a lander, and descend to the surface for a stay of about a week.
Artemis V and Beyond
NASA has said it hopes to follow with another landing, Artemis V, later in 2028, and then continue with regular missions. NASA also plans to speed up how often SLS rockets can be built and launched, aiming for much shorter gaps between missions than before.
A Note About Schedules
Space programmes are famous for schedule changes, and Artemis is no exception. Dates depend on how quickly the new landers, suits, and rockets are ready, and the targets above may move. Starship and Blue Moon, in particular, are still being developed and tested. So if you read a date in this guide, treat it as a target rather than a promise, and check NASA’s official website for the most up-to-date information.
How Artemis Differs from Apollo
People often ask whether Artemis is just “Apollo again.” In some ways it echoes Apollo, but there are big differences.
| Feature | Apollo | Artemis |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1961–1972 | 2022 onwards |
| Landing region | Equatorial and mid-latitude areas | Lunar south pole region |
| Crew size | Up to 3 on the spacecraft, 2 on the surface | 4 in Orion, with a smaller group landing |
| Who built it | Mainly NASA and contractors | NASA, commercial companies, and international partners |
| Goal | Reach the Moon (a race) | Sustainable presence and preparation for Mars |
| Lander | Government-designed, single-use | Commercial landers, designed to be reused or evolved |
One important difference is the emphasis on partnerships. Apollo was a national effort during the Cold War, while Artemis involves many countries and private companies, with a long-term focus rather than a single race to the finish line.
The Artemis Accords: Rules for Peaceful Exploration
Alongside the missions, NASA and the US State Department launched the Artemis Accords in 2020. These are a set of shared principles for peaceful, safe, and transparent exploration of space. Countries that sign agree to things like using space for peaceful purposes, sharing scientific data, helping astronauts in distress, and preserving historic sites such as the Apollo landing areas.
Dozens of countries from around the world have signed on, which shows the global interest in returning to the Moon. It is worth noting that not every country takes part. China, for example, has its own separate lunar programme and plans to land its own astronauts on the Moon by 2030, which adds a friendly but real sense of competition to the effort.
What Will Astronauts Do on the Moon?
The Moon’s south pole is rugged and dramatic. Because the Sun sits very low on the horizon there, mountains cast long shadows, and some crater floors have not seen sunlight for billions of years. That is where the water ice may be hiding. In contrast, some nearby high ridges get sunlight almost constantly, which makes them good spots for solar power.
During a stay on the surface, astronauts are expected to:
- Collect rock and soil samples, including material that might contain ice.
- Set up scientific instruments to study the Moon’s interior, surface, and radiation environment.
- Test technologies, such as spacesuits, mobility systems, and tools for working in lunar dust.
- Take moonwalks, called extravehicular activities, to explore the landscape.
Lunar dust deserves a mention. It is sharp, sticky, and clings to everything, and it wore down Apollo equipment and irritated astronauts. Handling it safely is one of the practical challenges that engineers are working on.
Challenges and Criticisms
To be fair and balanced, Artemis has faced real challenges, and it helps to know them.
Cost. Artemis is expensive. The SLS rocket and Orion capsule have cost many billions of dollars to develop, and critics argue the money could be used differently, or that SLS, which is not reusable, is a costly way to fly. Supporters respond that it provides a reliable, powerful capability and supports thousands of jobs.
Delays. Artemis has repeatedly slipped from its original timetable. Developing new rockets, landers, and suits is difficult, and safety must come first.
Technical hurdles. Starship and Blue Moon are new designs that need to demonstrate things never done before, such as long-term storage of fuel in space and landing crewed vehicles on the Moon. Some earlier tests of related rockets have also had setbacks, which is normal in development, but it affects timing.
Safety. Sending people to deep space is risky. The Artemis II flight was valuable partly because it let NASA test systems with a crew on board before attempting more complex missions.
These challenges do not mean the programme will fail, but they are good reminders that exploring space is hard, and that careful, step-by-step progress is part of the plan.
Looking Further Ahead: A Moon Base and Mars
The long-term vision is bigger than a few landings. NASA and its partners are discussing infrastructure that could include surface habitats, rovers for exploring wider areas, power systems, and communication networks. Over time, the aim is for crews to stay longer and carry out more ambitious science.
The lessons will also feed into the next giant leap: sending humans to Mars. A trip to Mars would last many months each way, so astronauts need proven life support, radiation protection, and the ability to be self-reliant. The Moon, close to home, is the proving ground.
Artemis at a Glance
Here is a quick summary to remember:
- Artemis I (2022): uncrewed test flight around the Moon. Success.
- Artemis II (April 2026): crewed flight around the Moon, with four astronauts. Success.
- Artemis III (targeted mid-2027): crewed docking test with commercial landers in Earth orbit.
- Artemis IV (targeted early 2028): first crewed landing near the lunar south pole.
- Artemis V and later: more landings and a growing lunar presence.
How You Can Follow Along
You do not need to be an engineer to join the excitement. Here are some easy ways:
- Visit NASA’s Artemis website. It has updates, photos, videos, and mission timelines, all free.
- Watch launches live. NASA streams launches and key mission moments online, and they are thrilling to watch, even for beginners.
- Look at the Moon. On a clear night, find the Moon and remember that people will soon be walking there again. Binoculars reveal craters and mountain ranges.
- Follow the astronauts. Many astronauts share their experiences and photos, and it is wonderful to see space through their eyes.
- Share it with children. Artemis is aimed at inspiring a new generation, and today’s students could be the explorers who one day walk on Mars.
A Gentle Final Thought
The Artemis programme is about much more than rockets and schedules. It is about the old human desire to explore, to look at the sky and ask, “What is out there, and can we go?” It is also about doing so carefully, together, and with the aim of learning and staying rather than just visiting.
Dates may shift, and challenges will certainly come, but the progress so far, from the uncrewed test of Artemis I to the crewed flight of Artemis II, shows that the journey back to the Moon is well underway. You do not need to understand every technical detail to be part of the story. Stay curious, keep looking up, and one day soon you may watch history being made as humans once again step onto the lunar surface.