On April 1, 2026, NASA will send four astronauts into space to prepare humankind for a crewed mission to Mars.
In 2017, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed the Space Policy Directive 1, which was an executive order to reopen moon missions. This policy kickstarted the Artemis II mission.
On NASA’s Orion Spacecraft, four American astronauts will confirm the rocket can fly safely in deep space, more than 10,300 kilometers (about twice the width of the United States) past the moon’s far side. This mission will allow humans to explore the moon and help scientific discoveries.
The crew will consist of the commander, Reid Wiseman, a US Navy captain, and previous International Space Station resident; Pilot Victor Glover, another US navy captain and mission specialist; Christina Koch, an electrical engineer; and Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian fighter pilot.
The lift-off date is April 1, delayed from January 25, due to a helium flow problem.