Next Giant Leap: Artemis 2 Moon Mission Takes Shape

NASA is making big strides with its Artemis 2 moon mission. The massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is taking shape inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians recently added the rocket's second stage, known as the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). This stage is crucial for pushing the Orion spacecraft and its crew into Earth's orbit and then propelling them toward the moon. The Artemis 2 mission is set to launch in early 2026. This mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They will be the second crew in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a lasting human presence on the moon. This presence is seen as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars. Artemis 2 will not land on the moon. Instead, it will fly around the moon and return to Earth. This mission is a critical test for the Orion spacecraft and the SLS rocket. It follows the Artemis 1 mission, which sent an uncrewed Orion spacecraft into lunar orbit in November 2022. Artemis 1's mission lasted about 25 days. The delay between Artemis 1 and Artemis 2 is due to unexpected damage to Orion's heat shield during its atmospheric re-entry. This issue has pushed back the launch dates for both Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 by over a year. Artemis 3, planned for 2027, will be the first mission to land astronauts on the moon since the Apollo era. It will use a Starship lander to achieve this goal. The future of the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft is uncertain. The Trump administration proposed canceling the program after Artemis 3 in its 2026 budget proposal. This decision could significantly impact NASA's plans for lunar exploration and future missions to Mars. The ICPS arrived at the VAB last month. NASA shared photos of the ICPS being stacked inside the VAB, showing the stage being lifted and lowered into the SLS stage adapter. The Orion spacecraft and its service module were also delivered to NASA this week. Before joining the SLS, Orion will undergo processing at the Exploration Ground Systems at Kennedy Space Center.