Four Astronauts Head Toward the Moon on Artemis II — But a Lunar Landing Isn’t Part of the Plan

NASA is preparing to send four astronauts on a historic journey toward the moon — a mission that will push humans farther into space than they have traveled in more than half a century. Yet despite the significance of the flight, the crew of Artemis II will not land on the lunar surface, a detail that has raised questions as the United States ramps up its return to deep space exploration.

The spacecraft that will carry the astronauts, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket paired with the Orion capsule, is set to take center stage as it rolls out from the agency’s Vehicle Assembly Building to a launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The hours-long transfer, known as rollout, marks the start of final launch preparations for Artemis II — the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis program.

If all goes as planned, the mission could lift off as early as February 6. On board will be NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Together, they will embark on a 10-day mission that sends them beyond the far side of the moon, farther from Earth than any humans have ever traveled.

A Record-Breaking Journey Without a Landing

Artemis II will make history in several ways. The mission is expected to surpass the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970, currently the farthest humans have ever been from Earth. It will also mark the first journey beyond low-Earth orbit for a woman, a person of color and a Canadian astronaut.

Yet unlike the iconic Apollo missions, Artemis II will not include a lunar landing. According to NASA officials, the decision is intentional — and rooted in safety, engineering realities and a step-by-step approach to human exploration.

“The short answer is because it doesn’t have the capability. This is not a lunar lander,” said Patty Casas Horn, NASA’s deputy lead for Mission Analysis and Integrated Assessments. “Throughout the history of NASA, everything that we do is a bit risky. We build a capability, test it, and then move on to the next step.”

In other words, Artemis II is not designed to touch down on the moon. Its primary goal is to test the systems needed to safely carry humans into deep space and bring them home.

Building on Artemis I

The upcoming mission follows Artemis I, an uncrewed test flight that launched in November 2022. That 25-day mission successfully sent Orion into orbit around the moon, validating key systems such as propulsion, navigation and heat shielding during reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.

Artemis II takes the next logical step: putting people on board.

“This is the first time we’ll be flying humans on this spacecraft,” Horn explained. “That adds an entirely new layer of complexity.”

Unlike Artemis I, the Orion capsule on Artemis II must support human life for days at a time. That means maintaining stable temperatures, managing moisture from breathing and perspiration, and providing food, water and sanitation systems. The spacecraft will also carry exercise equipment to help astronauts stay healthy during the mission.

“These are systems we simply can’t fully test without people on board,” Horn said.

Why Testing Comes Before Landing

NASA officials emphasize that Artemis II is about learning how humans and spacecraft perform together beyond Earth orbit — a critical requirement before attempting a lunar landing.

The mission’s priorities are clearly defined. First comes crew safety and health, including the ability to return the astronauts safely to Earth. Second is the health of the vehicle itself. Only after those objectives are met do mission goals such as navigation testing and propulsion demonstrations come into play.

Landing on the moon introduces a host of additional risks and technical challenges, including precision descent, surface hazards and ascent back into lunar orbit. Those capabilities will be tested later in the Artemis program, beginning with Artemis III, which is expected to include the first crewed lunar landing since 1972.

NASA’s approach mirrors the incremental strategy used during the Apollo era, when early missions tested spacecraft and crew operations in Earth orbit and around the moon before committing to a landing.

A Stepping Stone to the Surface

Although Artemis II will not touch the lunar surface, it represents a critical stepping stone toward that goal. The mission will validate life-support systems, deep-space navigation and crew operations in an environment far more challenging than low-Earth orbit.

For the astronauts, the journey itself will be unprecedented. Flying beyond the moon’s far side, they will temporarily lose direct communication with Earth — a reminder of just how far humanity is venturing once again.

NASA views Artemis II not as a detour, but as a necessary foundation for sustainable lunar exploration. By carefully testing systems and managing risk, the agency aims to ensure that when astronauts do land on the moon again, they will do so with confidence — and the ability to return safely.

As Horn put it, “We will get to landing on the moon. Artemis II is really about the crew.”