"Artemis is NASA's new program to return humans to the Moon — and this time, to stay. It's named after the Greek goddess of the Moon (Apollo's twin sister). The first launch happened in 2022. The plan is to land astronauts on the Moon by 2026, build a lunar base, and eventually go to Mars."
What Is Artemis?
Artemis is NASA's flagship human spaceflight program, designed to return humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972 (the end of Apollo) and establish a sustainable lunar presence. Named after the Greek goddess of the Moon (twin sister of Apollo), the program's goals are: land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon; establish a sustainable base on the Moon; test technologies for future human missions to Mars; and conduct scientific research on the Moon. The program uses the Space Launch System (SLS) — the most powerful rocket ever built — and the Orion spacecraft. Artemis I (launched November 2022 from Kennedy Space Center) was an uncrewed test flight that sent Orion around the Moon and back. Artemis II (planned for 2025) will carry four astronauts around the Moon — the first humans beyond low Earth orbit since 1972. Artemis III (planned for 2026) aims to land astronauts on the Moon's south pole. The Artemis program represents the next chapter of human space exploration, and it's launching from the same Kennedy Space Center pads that sent Apollo to the Moon.
