In this handout image provided by NASA, Orion snapped this high-resolution selfie in space with a camera mounted on one of its solar array wings during a routine external inspection of the spacecraft on the second day into the Artemis II mission on April 3, 2026. | NASA via Getty ImagesHumans haven’t stepped foot on the Moon since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Now, the space agency is racing to get back to the lunar surface under the umbrella of its Artemis program — a nod to the Greek goddess and twin sister of Apollo, whose name was given to NASA’s first program to send humans to the Moon. It won’t be easy. The program has been plagued by years of delays, development mishaps, and billions of dollars in budget overruns. But the mission is unquestionably ambitious. The goal of Artemis is to create a sustainable presence near the Moon, instead of just sending humans to plant flags and make footprints. The agency also aims to send the first woman to the Moon through the Artemis program.Artemis I successfully completed its uncrewed mission in 2022. On April 2nd, 2026, Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Station carrying four astronauts in its Orion capsule. The plan is to travel around the Moon before returning to Earth in 10 days’ time. They’ll be testing out the hardware and systems that could soon see humans standing on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years in the Artemis IV mission scheduled for 2028.The Artemis II astronauts will set a new distance record from Earth todayToday’s Artemis II lunar flyby will be livestreamed on Netflix.The far side of the Moon peeks out to say hi.You can’t doomscroll 230,000 miles from Earth.Artemis II is more than halfway to the Moon.Why the Artemis II crew is relying on decade old tech.NASA did eventually solve Artemis II’s Outlook glitchHey, that’s Earth!“With this burn to the moon, we do not leave Earth, we choose it.”Artemis II tech support checking in.A stunning look at the Artemis II liftoff.NASA launches four astronauts toward the Moon on the Artemis II missionThe Artemis Moon base project is legally dubiousThe NASA countdown begins.NASA’s Moon mission delayed again.NASA’s now targeting March 6th as its earliest Artemis II launch attempt.Artemis II delayed.Cold weather in Florida is pushing back the Artemis II launchSpaceX proposes a new plan for NASA’s Artemis III moon landing.NASA’s mission to return humans to the Moon has been delayed again until 2026NASA wants SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver cargo to the moonNASA picks three companies to develop a Moon car for Artemis astronautsNASA’s Artemis mission to take humans back to the Moon has been delayed until 2025How to watch NASA’s Artemis I SLS megarocket launchNASA moves next Artemis I rocket launch attempt to September 3rdNASA seeks to put first person of color on the Moon in Artemis missionNASA will fly Orion deep-space crew capsule ‘as is,’ despite failed componentA Canadian astronaut will fly around the Moon on the first crewed mission of NASA’s new rocketAt his last Space Council meeting, Mike Pence announces new cadre of lunar astronautsComponent failure in NASA’s deep-space crew capsule could take months to fixSenate committee’s budget for lunar landers falls short of NASA requestNASA administrator says he plans to leave position under Biden administrationWater ice on the Moon may be easier to reach than we thought, new studies claimUS and seven other countries sign NASA’s Artemis Accords to set rules for exploring the MoonHead of Russian space program calls for more international cooperation in NASA’s Moon plansNASA wants to buy Moon rocks from private companiesHouse budget bill denies major increases for NASA to fund ambitious Moon programNASA wants to hear your ideas for engineering the best toilet to use on the MoonNASA announces international Artemis Accords to standardize how to explore the MoonNASA picks SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics to create landers to take humans to the MoonThe Trump administration calls for big budget increases for NASA to fund Moon-to-Mars programNASA administrator on the year ahead: ‘A lot of things have to go right’NASA to help SpaceX, Blue Origin, and more develop technologies for Moon and Mars travelThis company says it has a lunar space suit that will be ready for NASA’s 2024 Moon missionTrump repeatedly asks NASA administrator why we can’t go straight to MarsNASA’s daunting to-do list for sending people back to the MoonNASA administrator on recent personnel shakeup: ‘There’s no turmoil at all’Head of NASA’s human exploration program demoted as agency pushes for Moon returnNASA is testing how its new deep-space crew capsule handles a rocket emergencyNASA’s future Moon rocket will probably be delayed and over budget yet again: auditNASA administrator says it will cost an extra $20 to $30 billion to send astronauts back to the MoonNASA administrator says ‘nothing has changed’ after Trump’s tweet about the Moon and MarsTrump tells NASA to stop talking about the Moon return his administration is pushingNASA administrator on new Moon plan: ‘We’re doing this in a way that’s never been done before’The uphill battle NASA faces to sell its Moon plan to CongressNASA’s initiative to put a woman on the Moon is named Artemis, after Apollo’s twin sisterWhite House wants $1.6 billion extra for NASA to accelerate astronaut return to the MoonNASA’s plan to get to the Moon by 2024 isn’t ready yetLockheed Martin unveils lunar lander design to get humans to the Moon by 2024NASA is figuring out how much money it needs to meet a faster lunar returnMike Pence tells NASA to accelerate human missions to the Moon ‘by any means necessary’NASA’s planning to send people back to the Moon’s surface in about a decade