On April 1, 2026  at 6:35 p.m EDT, the Artemis II mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The launch period was the first of seven two-hour windows highlighted for safe takeoff by NASA in early March 2026. The launch was the start of a 10-day, 252,757-mile flight to the moon and back, the first crewed mission to do so since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 and also makes it the farthest that a crewed mission has flown from Earth. The four-person crew is composed of Commander Reid Wiseman, Orion spacecraft Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and second Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.

The Artemis program was formally established nearly 10 years ago in 2017. By 2028, NASA plans to put astronauts back on the moon for the first time since 1972 and also plans to establish a permanent moon base by the 2030s. The program is named after the Greek goddess Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and often associated with the moon. In Greek mythology, she is the twin sister of the god Apollo, whom the first moon missions were named after. Artemis IV, scheduled for launch in early 2028, is planned to be the first return to the lunar surface in 56 years.

So far, the Artemis II mission has brought humanity some of the most stellar images of our home planet. Most notable of the photos is the “Hello, World,” taken by Wiseman. The photo shows the Sahara, the Strait of Gibraltar, parts of South America and the southern Atlantic Ocean. Aurorae are visible on both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, as well as the frail atmosphere. It is a night-side photo of Earth, illuminated by the moon and long-exposed by the astronauts’ camera. 

But, why? Why, only now, 54 years later are we returning to the stars? Many people believe that Elon Musk and his ideas for moon and Mars colonies are the inspiration behind the programs. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin had spoken out in criticism of the program in 2018. He had stated that establishing a moon base as a gateway to Mars is “absurd.” On the other hand, Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt, photographer of the famous “Blue Marble” photo, said in 2018 that planning so far out, to 2028, “comes across as having no sense of urgency.” Yet, as 2028 approaches, the estimation for lunar landing is still on track. 

It is exciting to see this huge step taken by NASA. Many can safely say that they had always wanted to visit the moon as kids, and now humanity is taking that step once again. Our grandparents grew up watching the Apollo missions and our parents saw the Space Shuttle program with the Challenger, Discovery and Columbia shuttles. Now it is our turn. Our generation will see the first moon walk in nearly six decades, as well as the potential future to take humanity’s first steps on another world. The future for space-travel is bright.Godspeed, Artemis II!