Artemis II marks America's return to deep space as China aggressively pursues its own long-term lunar presence, raising the stakes for U.S. space leadership.
The crew, three Americans and a Canadian, are the first humans to travel to the moon in more than 50 years. They will not land on the surface, but the mission will pave the way for future visits.
Why is the Artemis 2 rocket launch different from all other rocket launches? Space'Spectacular!': BBC science editor reacts to Artemis II launch bbc.comNASA launches first crewed lunar mission in half a century Reuters2026 April 2 - Liftoff! Returning to the Moon NASA (.gov)
