Astronauts Prepare for Historic Lunar Flyby — But Won’t Land

NASA’s Artemis II mission is set to send astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. While they won’t land, the mission marks a major milestone in humanity’s return to deep space exploration, reigniting global interest in extraterrestrial life and long-term habitation possibilities.

• Launch Date: Scheduled for later in 2026

• Crew: Includes the first woman and first person of color on a lunar mission

• Goal: Test life-support systems and deep-space navigation