For the first time in more than half a century, humans are preparing to return to the Moon.
NASA’s Artemis II mission, scheduled for February of this year, will send four intrepid astronauts on a trip around the Moon before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at a record speed of nearly 25,000 mph.
Although the trip won’t involve a lunar landing, it represents a key step in the United States’ plan to establish a long-term human presence beyond low Earth orbit.
Here’s a full rundown of the Artemis II mission and why you should be watching it when it launches.
What is Artemis II?
Artemis II is the second mission in NASA’s Artemis program, launched in 2017 to return humans to the Moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars
