On April 1, 2026, NASA launched its groundbreaking Artemis II mission, marking the first time humans traveled beyond low-earth orbit in over 50 years. After a 10-day journey around the moon, the crew safely returned to Earth on April 10th, completing a historic mission that signals a new era of space exploration.

Unlike the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s, Artemis II is part of a larger plan to establish a long-term human presence on the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars. The mission tested NASA’s Orion spacecraft, ensuring it can safely carry astronauts through deep space and back.

The crew also made history. The mission included the first woman, Christina Koch, and the first Black astronaut Victor Glover, to travel to the Moon. As well as the first non-American astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, to journey that far into space.

While the mission did not land on the Moon, it provided stunning images of Earth and the lunar surface offering a reminder of both how far humanity has come and how much farther it aims to go in space exploration.