NASA scheduled the Artemis II mission for April 2026. This mission marks the program's first crewed flight. Four astronauts will conduct a lunar flyby to test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Lockheed Martin serves as the prime contractor for the Orion capsule. Boeing provides the SLS core stage.
Artemis II represents the final mission under NASA’s traditional human lunar approach. The agency will utilize commercial partners for lunar landings starting with Artemis III. SpaceX and Blue Origin hold contracts to develop the Human Landing Systems for these future missions. This strategic pivot to a service-based model aims to increase mission cadence and lower costs.