Back to the moon - Artemis 2 (January mini-blog)

Graham writes …

Artist's impression of Artemis Earth rise. Credit: NASA.

This is a very brief heads-up for all you space enthusiasts out there – the launch of a crewed mission to the moon in early February, if all goes well with pre-flight activities. NASA is targeting February 6, 2026, for the launch of Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the vicinity of the Moon in over 50 years (since Apollo 17 in December 1972). This mission, an echo of the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968, will send a crew of four astronauts on a 10-day journey to perform a lunar flyby, testing critical spacecraft systems before future landing missions. 

A schematic of the mission profile. Credit: Canadian Space Agency.

Mission Overview
Mission Goal: A crewed 10-day flight that will travel approximately 4,600 miles (7,400 km) beyond the far side of the Moon on a free-return trajectory. This mission serves as a critical test for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft's life support and navigation systems.
The Crew: The four-member crew are Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch (NASA) and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency).
Launch Windows: If the February 6 attempt is delayed, NASA has identified additional launch opportunities within the same window (February 7, 8, 10, and 11) and subsequent periods in March and April 2026. 

The crew meet the Orion spacecraft - their home for the ten-day period of their lunar mission. Credit: NASA.

Pre-Launch Status
Rocket Rollout: The fully integrated SLS rocket and Orion capsule are being rolled out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Centre as I write (17 January, 2026).
Wet Dress Rehearsal: A final "wet dress rehearsal" – a full practice countdown including propellant loading – is planned for the end of January to ensure all systems are flight-ready.
Flight Readiness Review: Following these tests, mission managers will conduct a final assessment before officially committing to the February 6 launch date.
 
I shall probably blog again on this topic, but otherwise you can track mission progress and the official countdown on the Artemis II mission page.
 
Graham Swinerd
 
Southampton, UK
January 2026