NASA: Plans to Send Astronauts Into Lunar Orbit Early Next Year

Diagram of the Artemis II mission launch showing the timeline, speed, and altitude of key events from liftoff to ascent for the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

[People News]The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced plans to send astronauts into lunar orbit—the first time in more than half a century. The agency said the ambitious mission could take place as early as February next year, but no later than April.

According to Voice of America, Lakiesha Hawkins, NASA’s acting deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development, revealed the news Wednesday (Sept. 24) at a press conference at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. “We are witnessing history together: after more than 50 years, we are returning to the Moon.”

In the 10-day Artemis II mission, four astronauts will fly around the Moon aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, though they will not land this time. NASA officials said that if Artemis II launches on February 5, the launch will occur at night.

NASA stated that there will be roughly five-day launch windows in February, March, and April. The latest launch date is April 26.

Hawkins said NASA is working to target the early part of those windows but stressed that astronaut safety will determine the timing.

“We want to emphasize that safety is our top priority,” Hawkins said. “So, as we carry out preparations and complete rocket assembly, we will continue evaluations to ensure we are proceeding in a safe manner.”

Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program and will launch atop NASA’s massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

The mission will be commanded by NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, with Victor Glover as pilot. NASA’s Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will serve as mission specialists.

At Wednesday’s press conference, the Artemis II astronauts named the Orion spacecraft “Integrity.” NASA noted: “‘Integrity’ reflects the foundation of trust, respect, honesty, and humility among astronauts and the countless engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, and dreamers—qualities essential for mission success.”

“This name is also a tribute to the vast collaborative effort—from more than 300,000 spacecraft parts to the thousands of people worldwide—working together to achieve the adventure of going to and from the Moon, inspiring the world, and charting the course for a lasting lunar presence. ‘Integrity’ is rooted in the shared core values of NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).”

Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation and NASA’s acting administrator, expressed optimism, saying he believes this mission will pave the way to recreating the iconic 1969 Moon landing.

“This time, when we return to the Moon, we will stay. We will build a base. I believe the knowledge we gain will also lead us to land on Mars,” Duffy wrote on the White House Rapid Response 47 account on X.

On Thursday, he repeated the same statement on Fox News. “What we learn on Artemis II will carry us into Artemis III, when we will land on the Moon again… This time, when we return, we will stay long-term and build a base. I believe what we learn will also lead us to Mars.”

“The science we are conducting is for human space exploration. We are returning to the Moon. The Chinese want to go there too. They want to reach the lunar south pole. There is ice there. Ice means water, ice means carbon dioxide. That means life. So, they are trying to get there before us. We will win the second space race. America, NASA, our astronauts, our engineers—we are the best in the world. So this is truly a very cool time.”

An article on NASA’s website stated: “We will work with commercial and international partners to establish the first long-term outpost on the Moon. Then we will use the knowledge we gain on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.” △