Artemis II mission prepares for a 10-day lunar flyby in early February 2026

NASA's Artemis II will carry four astronauts on an approximately 10-day flight to circle the Moon and test deep-space systems; the launch window opens in early February 2026 with backup opportunities in March and April.

NASA is preparing to send astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time since the Apollo era. Artemis II will carry four crew members on a roughly 10-day mission to circle the Moon and return to Earth. The flight will not include a lunar landing; instead it will test life-support, navigation and communications systems and collect scientific data in deep space. Officials have announced a launch window in early February 2026, with backup opportunities extending into March and April. Key facts: - The crew will include four astronauts, and the mission will be a lunar flyby rather than a landing; Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is reported as part of the team and would be the first non‑American to travel toward lunar orbit. - The mission is expected to last about 10 days, carrying the Orion spacecraft on a path that will loop around the Moon and return the crew to Earth. - Artemis II aims to evaluate life‑support, power, navigation and communications systems and to run scientific and medical experiments, including measurements of radiation exposure in deep space. - NASA's timetable states a launch no earlier than 6 February 2026 with an initial window through 11 February; backup windows are scheduled for March and April. Some reports say a wet dress rehearsal was postponed and rescheduled to early February, which affected the earliest possible launch opportunities. - Upon re-entry, the Orion capsule is planned to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, with recovery operations reported to involve the US Navy and Coast Guard. Summary: The mission will test systems needed for future crewed lunar operations and mark the first time humans travel beyond low‑Earth orbit since the early 1970s. NASA will review rehearsal results and readiness checks before confirming a specific launch date; backup windows remain in March and April.