Nasa overhauls its moon exploration plan days before Artemis 2 launch date | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleJoey RouletteWednesday 25 March 2026 13:05 GMTNasa's Orion spacecraft atop the Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 25 February, 2026 (AFP/Getty)NASA is still targeting an April 1 launch date for its Artemis II mission to send astronauts around the Moon.The mission will see four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, undertake an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon and back. It marks the first crewed flight of the Artemis program and the first time astronauts will travel around the Moon in over five decades.The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft previously returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs after an issue with helium flow was identified.NASA announced Tuesday that it dramatically revised its lunar exploration strategy, cancelling plans for a Moon-orbiting space station and instead focusing on building a $20 billion permanent base directly on the lunar surface.The decision, made by Jared Isaacman, head of the US space agency, aims to establish a US presence on the Moon before China's anticipated 2030 lunar landing.In fullArtemis II: Inside Nasa’s plans to launch a moon base and nuclear-powered spacecraft to MarsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in