NASA is offering the public a chance to join a Moon mission. The Artemis II test flight will circle the Moon and return. Four astronauts will evaluate systems and hardware for deep space travel. The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Names from the public will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft. A Space Launch System rocket will carry all passengers. Anyone can sign up to send their name before 21 January. Names will be saved on an SD card and loaded onto Orion. Participants will receive a personalised boarding pass as a collectable. English-language passes are at https://go.nasa.gov/artemisnames and Spanish-language passes at https://www3.nasa.gov/envia-tu-nombre-con-artemis/
This roughly 10-day test flight is NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission. It supports the goal of returning humans to the Moon’s surface. It also prepares the agency for future Mars missions. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for Exploration Systems, called it an opportunity to inspire people globally.
The mission is scheduled for no later than April 2026. It marks another step toward establishing U.S. crewed Moon missions. Data from the flight will help NASA refine technologies for deep space exploration.
Why is Artemis II important?
Artemis II is not just about a lunar flyby; it’s a crucial step toward the return of humans to the Moon’s surface. The mission will validate the performance of the Orion spacecraft, test its life-support systems in real spaceflight conditions, and pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts near the lunar South Pole. Ultimately, Artemis is part of NASA’s long-term goal to prepare humanity for Mars exploration. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to symbolically travel beyond Earth.
