What is planned for the first three Artemis Missions?

Like the Apollo mission, NASA will test the new technology, navigation, safety protocols, and procedures through a series of missions:

  • Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight that will orbit the Moon. NASA is using this mission to test the performance of the SLS rocket and the Orion Capsule in flight and landing on Earth.
  • Artemis II will be a 10-day crewed flight that will not land on the Moon but will navigate the planned trajectory of future missions. The Artemis II crew will also travel far from the Earth and test the capabilities of their Crew Module and deep space communication. 
  • Artemis III will take the humans to the Moon. Not only will this be the first time humans have touched the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972, Artemis III’s crew will be selected from a diverse astronaut class. NASA has selected the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System to land on the lunar surface.

Future missions will further develop the Gateway and the Artemis Base Camp until humans can live and work on the Moon for long periods.

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