NASA’s Artemis II mission to fly around the far side of the Moon
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Science NASA’s Artemis II mission to fly around the far side of the Moon Link Share RSS Gift Humans haven’t stepped foot on the Moon since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Now, the space agency is racing to get back to the lunar surface under the umbrella of its Artemis program — a nod to the Greek goddess and twin sister of Apollo, whose name was given to NASA’s first program to send humans to the Moon. The program has been plagued by years of delays , development mishaps , and billions of dollars in budget overruns , but the mission is unquestionably ambitious. The goal of Artemis is to create a sustainable presence near the Moon, instead of just sending humans to plant flags and make footprints. The agency also aims to send the first woman to the Moon through the Artemis program. Artemis I successfully completed its uncrewed mission in 2022. On April 2nd, 2026, Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Center carrying four astronauts in its Orion capsule. The plan is to travel around the Moon before returning to Earth in 10 days’ time. They’ll test out the hardware and systems that could soon see humans standing on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years in the Artemis IV mission scheduled for 2028. On Monday, April 6th, NASA’s livestream is broadcasting on YouTube and on Netflix as the Artemis II astronauts break the record for the farthest distance humans have traveled away from Earth, and during a planned drop in communications as Orion passes behind the Moon. Highlights The Artemis II astronauts will set a new distance record from Earth today NASA launches four astronauts toward the Moon on the Artemis II mission The Artemis Moon base project is legally dubious Apr 6 Jay Peters NASA’s Orion spacecraft has reached its maximum distance from Earth: 252,756 miles. After setting a new distance record and going behind the Moon, the Artemis II crew has now gone as far away from Earth as they will during the mission. The team reached the milestone during a planned communications blackout, but they’ve made contact again. Jay Peters After setting a new distance record and going behind the Moon, the Artemis II crew has now gone as far away from Earth as they will during the mission. The team reached the milestone during a planned communications blackout, but they’ve made contact again. Apr 6 Stevie Bonifield Artemis II astronauts break a record, name a crater Artemis II is capturing images of the far side of the Moon, partially visible here, which can’t be seen from Earth. Image: NASA A few minutes before 2PM ET on Monday, the crew of Artemis II broke a record set 56 years ago by the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission — at over 248,655 miles, they have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans before them. They marked the occasion with a crater naming ceremony that left the whole crew embracing each other in lunar orbit. The Artemis II crew proposed names for two craters on the Moon. The first they named after their spacecraft, Integrity. The second was more personal. “A number of years ago, we started this journey and our close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one,” mission specialist Jeremy Hansen said during NASA’s livestream . “Her name was Carroll, the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie.” Read Article > Stevie Bonifield Artemis II astronauts break a record, name a crater A few minutes before 2PM ET on Monday, the crew of Artemis II broke a record set 56 years ago by the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission — at over 248,655 miles, they have now traveled farther from Earth than any humans before them. They marked the occasion with a crater naming ceremony that left the whole crew embracing each other in lunar orbit. The Artemis II crew proposed names for two craters on the Moon. The first they named after their spacecraft, Integrity. The second was more personal. “A number of years ago, we started this journey and our close-knit astronaut family, and we lost a loved one,” mission specialist Jeremy Hansen said during NASA’s livestream . “Her name was Carroll, the spouse of Reid, the mother of Katie and Ellie.” Apr 6 Richard Lawler Artemis II crew sets the distance record. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen have surpassed Apollo 13’s record for the greatest distance a human mission has traveled away from Earth at over 240,000 miles and counting, and they’ll continue stretching that out until about 7:07PM ET. Right now, they’re beginning to observe the Moon’s surface. NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd, Capsule Communicator Amy Dill, and Command and Handling Data Officer Brandon Borter also marked a lighthearted milestone today by emailing the crew what is now assumed to be the longest person-to-person message ever sent in human history. Richard Lawler Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen have surpassed Apollo 13’s record for the greatest distance a human mission has traveled away from Earth at over 240,000 miles and counting, and they’ll continue stretching that out until about 7:07PM ET. Right now, they’re beginning to observe the Moon’s surface. NASA Flight Director Brandon Lloyd, Capsule Communicator Amy Dill, and Command and Handling Data Officer Brandon Borter also marked a lighthearted milestone today by emailing the crew what is now assumed to be the longest person-to-person message ever sent in human history. Apr 6 Andrew Liszewski The Artemis II astronauts will set a new distance record from Earth today Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman looks back at Earth from one of the Orion spacecraft’s main cabin windows. Image: NASA On April 15th, 1970, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert set a distance record when Apollo 13 traveled 248,655 miles from Earth. Nearly 56 years later, the crew of Artemis II is expected to break that record by several thousand miles when the Orion spacecraft reaches a maximum distance of 252,757 miles away from Earth later today as it completes its flight around the far side of the Moon. NASA’s coverage of the lunar flyby begins at 1PM ET today if you want to follow along at home , while the astronauts are expected to set the new distance record from Earth at 1:56PM ET. The trip around the far side of the Moon will take about six hours and include observations of the lunar surface never before seen by humans, as well as surveys to identify possible landing locations for future missions. Read Article > Andrew Liszewski The Artemis II astronauts will set a new distance record from Earth today On April 15th, 1970, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert set a distance record when Apollo 13 traveled 248,655 miles from Earth. Nearly 56 years later, the crew of Artemis II is expected to break that record by several thousand miles when the Orion spacecraft reaches a maximum distance of 252,757 miles away from Earth later today as it completes its flight around the far side of the Moon. NASA’s coverage of the lunar flyby begins at 1PM ET today if you want to follow along at home , while the astronauts are expected to set the new distance record from Earth at 1:56PM ET. The trip around the far side of the Moon will take about six hours and include observations of the lunar surface never before seen by humans, as well as surveys to identify possible landing locations for future missions. Apr 6 Andrew J. Hawkins Today’s Artemis II lunar flyby will be livestreamed on Netflix. The streaming giant missed out on the April 1st launch of Artemis II , but will broadcast today’s historic flight around the Moon. At 1PM ET, the capsule will fly past the Moon’s far side, which always faces away from the Earth, and it will also stream on NASA’s official YouTube channel . NASA also made a deal with Netflix last year to feature some of its content. Netflix Missed the Artemis II Launch, But Will Livestream the Lunar Flyby [ What's on Netflix ] Andrew J. Hawkins The streaming giant missed out on the April 1st launch of Artemis II , but will broadcast today’s historic flight around the Moon. At 1PM ET, the capsule will fly past the Moon’s far side, which always faces away from the Earth, and it will also stream on NASA’s official YouTube channel . NASA also made a deal with Netflix last year to feature some of its content. [ What's on Netflix ] Apr 5 Terrence O'Brien The far side of the Moon peeks out to say hi. NASA shared this photo taken by the Artemis II crew today, showing the Orientale basin in its entirety for the first time. The far side is also becoming visible as the mission approaches its destination. Image: NASA Terrence O'Brien NASA shared this photo taken by the Artemis II crew today, showing the Orientale basin in its entirety for the first time. The far side is also becoming visible as the mission approaches its destination. Apr 4 Terrence O'Brien You can’t doomscroll 230,000 miles from Earth. Artemis II’s astronauts are carrying iPhones , but it’s not to post on Instagram or check email. They can’t even connect to the internet. They’re mostly there for taking photos and videos. According to the New York Times : The mission is one of the first times that NASA has allowed astronauts to fly with smartphones. NASA gave each astronaut an iPhone during the crew’s quarantine, which started in March, the agency said. But there was no sneaking in a video call on FaceTime or a round of Candy Crush before entering orbit. The phones can’t connect to the internet or use Bluetooth, NASA said. They are primarily for taking photos and videos. Terrence O'Brien Artemis II’s astronauts are carrying iPhones , but it’s not to post on Instagram or check email. They can’t even connect to the internet. They’re mostly there for taking photos and videos. According to the New York Times : The mission is one of the first times that NASA has allowed astronauts to fly with smartphones. NASA gave each astronaut an iPhone during the crew’s quarantine, which started in March, the agency said. But there was no sneaking in a video call on FaceTime or a round of Candy Crush before entering orbit. The phones can’t connect to the internet or use Bluetooth, NASA said. They are primarily for taking photos and videos. Apr 4 Terrence O'Brien Artemis II is more than halfway to the Moon. The crew is on track to fly by the Moon on Monday, April 6th, and posting updates along the way, including this stunning pair of photos of the astronauts looking back at Earth. If you want to follow along with every tiny detail, there is a livestream on YouTube. Terrence O'Brien The crew is on track to fly by the Moon on Monday, April 6th, and posting updates along the way, including this stunning pair of photos of the astronauts looking back at Earth. If you want to follow along with every tiny detail, there is a livestream on YouTube. Apr 4 Terrence O'Brien Why the Artemis II crew is relying on decade old tech. After liftoff, there was an issue with Outlook running on the mission’s Surface Pro. That left some wondering why NASA was still using such old tech. Well, devices need to be tested and certified. To save money, they went with tech that was already approved. Then the launch date got pushed back… repeatedly. Check out this thread from NASA’s Jason Hutt for the full breakdown. Terrence O'Brien After liftoff, there was an issue with Outlook running on the mission’s Surface Pro. That left some wondering why NASA was still using such old tech. Well, devices need to be tested and certified. To save money, they went with tech that was already approved. Then the launch date got pushed back… repeatedly. Check out this thread from NASA’s Jason Hutt for the full breakdown. Apr 3 Stevie Bonifield NASA did eventually solve Artemis II’s Outlook glitch NASA’s Artemis II rocket launched from the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images On Thursday, during Artemis II’s journey to the Moon, commander Reid Wiseman ran into a tech issue some of us back on Earth can relate to: Microsoft Outlook wasn’t working . In a conversation captured in NASA’s Artemis livestream and shared on Bluesky , Wiseman reported to Mission Control: “I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one of those are working.” To take care of the issue, Mission Control had to remotely access Wiseman’s personal computing device (PCD), a Microsoft Surface Pro. During a press conference on Thursday, Artemis flight director Judd Frieling said NASA had fixed the issue , stating, “This is not uncommon. We have this on-station all the time. You know, sometimes Outlook has issues getting configured, especially when you don’t have a network that’s directly connected. And so essentially we just had to reload his files on Outlook to get it working.” Read Article > Stevie Bonifield NASA did eventually solve Artemis II’s Outlook glitch On Thursday, during Artemis II’s journey to the Moon, commander Reid Wiseman ran into a tech issue some of us back on Earth can relate to: Microsoft Outlook wasn’t working . In a conversation captured in NASA’s Artemis livestream and shared on Bluesky , Wiseman reported to Mission Control: “I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks and neither one of those are working.” To take care of the issue, Mission Control had to remotely access Wiseman’s personal computing device (PCD), a Microsoft Surface Pro. During a press conference on Thursday, Artemis flight director Judd Frieling said NASA had fixed the issue , stating, “This is not uncommon. We have this on-station all the time. You know, sometimes Outlook has issues getting configured, especially when you don’t have a network that’s directly connected. And so essentially we just had to reload his files on Outlook to get it working.” Apr 3 Jay Peters Hey, that’s Earth! Check out these incredible photos of our planet taken by Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman. Amazing. Previous Next 1 / 2 Image: NASA Jay Peters Check out these incredible photos of our planet taken by Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman. Amazing. Apr 3 Thomas Ricker “With this burn to the moon, we do not leave Earth, we choose it.” The Orion spacecraft is now on a course to take four astronauts around the moon in four days time. Thomas Ricker The Orion spacecraft is now on a course to take four astronauts around the moon in four days time. Apr 2 Richard Lawler Artemis II tech support checking in. Even on NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in forever, the live stream captured astronauts having issues with Outlook (New) and Outlook (classic) . While I’m pretty sure the ship’s computers aren’t running on Windows, the crew is equipped with iPhones , tablets, and laptops “to review procedures and load entertainment onto before launch.” Richard Lawler Even on NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in forever, the live stream captured astronauts having issues with Outlook (New) and Outlook (classic) . While I’m pretty sure the ship’s computers aren’t running on Windows, the crew is equipped with iPhones , tablets, and laptops “to review procedures and load entertainment onto before launch.” Apr 2 Jess Weatherbed A stunning look at the Artemis II liftoff. Alongside the beautiful shots I’m seeing across social media , NASA has a photo album for yesterday’s launch that’s well worth checking out even if you tuned into the livestream. The album is hosted on Flickr, making America’s mission to the moon feel even more nostalgic. Previous Next 1 / 3 Image: NASA Jess Weatherbed Alongside the beautiful shots I’m seeing across social media , NASA has a photo album for yesterday’s launch that’s well worth checking out even if you tuned into the livestream. The album is hosted on Flickr, making America’s mission to the moon feel even more nostalgic. Apr 1 Jay Peters NASA launches four astronauts toward the Moon on the Artemis II mission Getty Images NASA’s Artemis II flight, which is set to take four astronauts toward the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, successfully launched on Wednesday evening. The Artemis II mission, part of NASA’s Artemis program that’s intended to bring humans back onto the Moon as early as 2028 , will bring the four astronauts in orbit around the Moon on the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, will make the trip aboard the Orion crew capsule, and the full mission is expected to be a 10-day journey. The mission was delayed in February due to a helium supply issue. Read Article > Jay Peters NASA launches four astronauts toward the Moon on the Artemis II mission NASA’s Artemis II flight, which is set to take four astronauts toward the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, successfully launched on Wednesday evening. The Artemis II mission, part of NASA’s Artemis program that’s intended to bring humans back onto the Moon as early as 2028 , will bring the four astronauts in orbit around the Moon on the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, will make the trip aboard the Orion crew capsule, and the full mission is expected to be a 10-day journey. The mission was delayed in February due to a helium supply issue. Apr 1 Georgina Torbet The Artemis Moon base project is legally dubious NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft rest on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on March 31, 2026, ahead of the crewed lunar mission. Image: AFP via Getty Images With NASA planning to launch four astronauts on Wednesday on its Artemis II mission, the race to return to the Moon is back on. The current mission will see astronauts aboard the Orion capsule travel around the Moon before returning to Earth in 10 days’ time. They’ll be testing out the hardware and systems that could soon see Americans standing on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years in the Artemis IV mission scheduled for 2028. NASA isn’t ready to land people on the Moon just yet, but that’s the aim for the next five years: to not only get people onto the Moon but establish a lengthy human presence on its surface. That’s NASA’s selling point of Artemis, compared to the Apollo missions of the 1960s and ’70s — we won’t just be visiting the Moon for a few days, but rather inhabiting it for a long period of time. Exactly how long is still unclear, but the idea is to build a Moon base that allows astronauts to live on the lunar surface for weeks or even months at a time. Read Article > Georgina Torbet The Artemis Moon base project is legally dubious With NASA planning to launch four astronauts on Wednesday on its Artemis II mission, the race to return to the Moon is back on. The current mission will see astronauts aboard the Orion capsule travel around the Moon before returning to Earth in 10 days’ time. They’ll be testing out the hardware and systems that could soon see Americans standing on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years in the Artemis IV mission scheduled for 2028. NASA isn’t ready to land people on the Moon just yet, but that’s the aim for the next five years: to not only get people onto the Moon but establish a lengthy human presence on its surface. That’s NASA’s selling point of Artemis, compared to the Apollo missions of the 1960s and ’70s — we won’t just be visiting the Moon for a few days, but rather inhabiting it for a long period of time. Exactly how long is still unclear, but the idea is to build a Moon base that allows astronauts to live on the lunar surface for weeks or even months at a time. Apr 1 Jess Weatherbed The NASA countdown begins. Providing all goes to plan, NASA’s Artemis II mission will launch later today and carry astronauts around the moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The launch window is targeted for 6:24PM ET, with the onsite countdown officially underway . Jess Weatherbed Providing all goes to plan, NASA’s Artemis II mission will launch later today and carry astronauts around the moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The launch window is targeted for 6:24PM ET, with the onsite countdown officially underway . Feb 23 Thomas Ricker NASA’s Moon mission delayed again. Artemis 2, slated to launch four astronauts around the Moon in just a few weeks, has been delayed due to a helium supply issue in the SLS rocket’s upper stage. The mission, originally scheduled for 2023 , has now been delayed to April, at the earliest . NASA says it needs to haul the Artemis II rocket back to the hangar for repairs [ Ars Technica ] Thomas Ricker Artemis 2, slated to launch four astronauts around the Moon in just a few weeks, has been delayed due to a helium supply issue in the SLS rocket’s upper stage. The mission, originally scheduled for 2023 , has now been delayed to April, at the earliest . [ Ars Technica ] Feb 20 Andrew Liszewski NASA’s now targeting March 6th as its earliest Artemis II launch attempt. Following a successful wet dress rehearsal on Thursday plagued only by ground communications glitches, NASA says March 6th will be the earliest launch date for the long-delayed Artemis II mission that will send four astronauts on an approximately 600,000-mile trip to circle the moon and return to Earth. Andrew Liszewski Following a successful wet dress rehearsal on Thursday plagued only by ground communications glitches, NASA says March 6th will be the earliest launch date for the long-delayed Artemis II mission that will send four astronauts on an approximately 600,000-mile trip to circle the moon and return to Earth. Feb 3 Thomas Ricker Artemis II delayed. NASA’s overnight wet dress rehearsal of the SLS rocket surfaced a liquid hydrogen leak. A second wet dress rehearsal is now needed, pushing the earliest possible launch of the crewed mission around the moon to March. NASA Conducts Artemis II Fuel Test, Eyes March for Launch Opportunity - NASA [ NASA ] Thomas Ricker NASA’s overnight wet dress rehearsal of the SLS rocket surfaced a liquid hydrogen leak. A second wet dress rehearsal is now needed, pushing the earliest possible launch of the crewed mission around the moon to March. [ NASA ] Jan 30 Andrew Liszewski Cold weather in Florida is pushing back the Artemis II launch If the February 2nd wet dress rehearsal is successful, the Artemis II mission could launch as early as February 8th. Photo by Jim Ross / NASA As a result of cold weather and windy conditions moving through Florida, NASA is now targeting Monday, February 2nd for a wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Depending on how Monday’s rehearsal goes, NASA will potentially set a launch date for Artemis II. But as a result of the weather-related delays, NASA says February 6th and 7th “are no longer viable opportunities” for a launch. Sunday, February 8th will instead be the first potential window. NASA originally planned to conduct the wet dress rehearsal for the rocket this weekend, which is currently stacked with the Orion spacecraft on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. The 49 hour rehearsal includes fueling the rocket (hence the term wet) and a simulated countdown that ends 33 seconds before launch. During the rehearsal NASA engineers will test emergency escape procedures at the launch site and collect data from the SLS. A full wet rehearsal must be completed before the Artemis II mission will be cleared for launch next week. Read Article > Andrew Liszewski Cold weather in Florida is pushing back the Artemis II launch As a result of cold weather and windy conditions moving through Florida, NASA is now targeting Monday, February 2nd for a wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Depending on how Monday’s rehearsal goes, NASA will potentially set a launch date for Artemis II. But as a result of the weather-related delays, NASA says February 6th and 7th “are no longer viable opportunities” for a launch. Sunday, February 8th will instead be the first potential window. NASA originally planned to conduct the wet dress rehearsal for the rocket this weekend, which is currently stacked with the Orion spacecraft on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. The 49 hour rehearsal includes fueling the rocket (hence the term wet) and a simulated countdown that ends 33 seconds before launch. During the rehearsal NASA engineers will test emergency escape procedures at the launch site and collect data from the SLS. A full wet rehearsal must be completed before the Artemis II mission will be cleared for launch next week. Oct 30, 2025 Richard Lawler SpaceX proposes a new plan for NASA’s Artemis III moon landing. Former Real World cast member and current Transportation Secretary / acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy recently said SpaceX was “behind” on its contract for Artemis III and proposed reopening it. (Elon Musk responded with a predictable slew of insults.) Now SpaceX has a response , but its blog post is missing one thing: the details of this “simplified” approach. In response to the latest calls, we’ve shared and are formally assessing a simplified mission architecture and concept of operations that we believe will result in a faster return to the Moon while simultaneously improving crew safety. Richard Lawler Former Real World cast member and current Transportation Secretary / acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy recently said SpaceX was “behind” on its contract for Artemis III and proposed reopening it. (Elon Musk responded with a predictable slew of insults.) Now SpaceX has a response , but its blog post is missing one thing: the details of this “simplified” approach. In response to the latest calls, we’ve shared and are formally assessing a simplified mission architecture and concept of operations that we believe will result in a faster return to the Moon while simultaneously improving crew safety. Dec 5, 2024 Andrew Liszewski NASA’s mission to return humans to the Moon has been delayed again until 2026 Photo by GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images NASA has, once again, postponed the Artemis missions that will return humans to the Moon. The Artemis II mission, which will have astronauts orbiting the Moon, had already been pushed from 2024 to September 2025 but is now planned for April 2026 . Artemis III, which will return astronauts to the surface of the Moon near its south pole, is now planned to launch the following year in mid-2027. The 10-day Artemis II mission will send four astronauts to the Moon, including Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen. The mission won’t include a landing, but it will be the first time astronauts launch aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket inside the Orion crew capsule that will orbit the Moon before returning to Earth with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Read Article > Andrew Liszewski NASA’s mission to return humans to the Moon has been delayed again until 2026 NASA has, once again, postponed the Artemis missions that will return humans to the Moon. The Artemis II mission, which will have astronauts orbiting the Moon, had already been pushed from 2024 to September 2025 but is now planned for April 2026 . Artemis III, which will return astronauts to the surface of the Moon near its south pole, is now planned to launch the following year in mid-2027. The 10-day Artemis II mission will send four astronauts to the Moon, including Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen. The mission won’t include a landing, but it will be the first time astronauts launch aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket inside the Orion crew capsule that will orbit the Moon before returning to Earth with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Nov 20, 2024 Emma Roth NASA wants SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver cargo to the moon A conceptual rendering of Blue Origin’s cargo lander. Image: Blue Origin / NASA After asking both SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop cargo landers for its Artemis missions, NASA has announced plans to use those landers to deliver heavy equipment to the Moon. The agency wants Elon Musk’s SpaceX to use its Starship cargo lander to deliver a pressurized rover to the Moon “no earlier” than 2032, while Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will be tasked with delivering a lunar surface habitat no sooner than 2033. Both launches will support NASA’s Artemis missions , which aim to bring humans back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. Read Article > Emma Roth NASA wants SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver cargo to the moon After asking both SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop cargo landers for its Artemis missions, NASA has announced plans to use those landers to deliver heavy equipment to the Moon. The agency wants Elon Musk’s SpaceX to use its Starship cargo lander to deliver a pressurized rover to the Moon “no earlier” than 2032, while Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will be tasked with delivering a lunar surface habitat no sooner than 2033. Both launches will support NASA’s Artemis missions , which aim to bring humans back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. Apr 3, 2024 Sheena Vasani NASA picks three companies to develop a Moon car for Artemis astronauts NASA has selected Intuitive Machines , Lunar Outpost , and Venturi Astrolab to develop the lunar terrain rover for its Artemis lunar explorations. All three companies are in the running for task orders with a potential value of $4.6 billion over the next 13 years. The trio will develop their team’s ideas for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to help astronauts explore the Moon’s south polar region. It’s believed the area contains frozen water, so it makes sense for NASA to set up base camp there. Read Article > Sheena Vasani NASA picks three companies to develop a Moon car for Artemis astronauts NASA has selected Intuitive Machines , Lunar Outpost , and Venturi Astrolab to develop the lunar terrain rover for its Artemis lunar explorations. All three companies are in the running for task orders with a potential value of $4.6 billion over the next 13 years. The trio will develop their team’s ideas for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) to help astronauts explore the Moon’s south polar region. It’s believed the area contains frozen water, so it makes sense for NASA to set up base camp there. 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