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NASA announced Tuesday that it is on schedule to send astronauts around the Moon in early 2026, as the U.S. races against China to make a return to the lunar surface. The manned mission, known as Artemis 2, has experienced multiple delays but is now planned for April 2026 at the latest, with a possibility of launching as soon as February.
“We are committed to meeting that deadline,” stated Lakiesha Hawkins, a senior NASA official, during a press briefing. The crew will consist of three American astronauts and one Canadian, marking the first lunar orbit mission in over 50 years. However, they will not land on the Moon—this goal is the focus of Artemis 3.
NASA’s Artemis program aims to bring humans back to the Moon, while China advances its own efforts, aiming to send its first crewed mission by 2030 at the latest. During Donald Trump’s second term, the administration pressed NASA to accelerate its plans. Trump, who introduced the Artemis initiative during his first term, wants America to revisit the lunar surface as soon as possible and eventually send missions to Mars. Both endeavors include plans to establish bases on the Moon.
The Trump administration has called this renewed effort a “second space race,” reminiscent of the Cold War competition between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. Hawkins emphasized the aspiration for the U.S. to be the first to land on the Moon again, but stressed that safety remains NASA’s top priority.
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