NASA's Artemis II mission completes a critical engine burn, propelling the Orion spacecraft and its four-person crew out of Earth orbit toward the moon.

The Orion spacecraft will take four crew members and one commode around the moon and back as part of the Artemis II mission. In April 2025, National Geographic worked with NASA and filmed the astronauts at an Orion space capsule model in Houston.

NASA launches Artemis II, sending astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years in a historic test flight for future lunar missions.

The Pasadena lab plays a key role in data exchange and communications between four Artemis II astronauts and mission control. For many, the moon mission is the first time they’ll support a human space flight.

NASA launches Artemis II, sending four astronauts around the moon in a historic deep-space mission to expand space exploration.

Nasa is on track to launch its Artemis II mission in April which will be tracked by Goonhilly Earth Station, near Helston.

The spacecraft can accommodate four astronauts—one more than Apollo—and offers greater internal volume, allowing for extended missions.

Artemis II will test NASA’s crew capabilities in deep space and gather more information that could ultimately help send astronauts to Mars.