Landing astronauts on the moon 'is absolutely doable, and it's doable soon,' NASA's Artemis 2 commander says

image via Space.com

April 16, 2026, 9:53 PM

• •Artemis 2 was the first crewed mission of the Artemis program, and a test flight for Orion.
• •The crew shared inspiring images and reflections from their 10-day mission around the moon.
• •Artemis 3 will involve rendezvous and docking maneuvers in Earth orbit with lunar landers.
• •The Artemis 4 mission is planned to land astronauts near the lunar south pole in late 2028.

The Artemis 2 crew, having completed a successful mission around the moon, shared their experiences and insights, emphasizing the spacecraft's performance and the crew's well-being. The mission was a crucial test of Orion's life support systems, paving the way for future lunar missions, with the crew expressing confidence in the program's progress. They also discussed the upcoming Artemis 3 mission, which will involve practice maneuvers with lunar landers and is scheduled for launch in mid-2027. The crew's positive assessment suggests that a crewed moon landing is more attainable than ever, with Artemis 4 planned to land astronauts near the lunar south pole in late 2028.

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