The Artemis II crew will conduct a lunar flyby on Monday, achieving a closest approach of approximately 4,000 miles from the Moon's surface. This mission represents a significant advancement in human space exploration.
As the first crewed mission in the Artemis program, Artemis II will extend human presence beyond low Earth orbit, marking a pivotal moment in NASA's lunar exploration strategy.
The mission's architecture is designed to test systems and capabilities necessary for future lunar landings, ultimately supporting long-term human presence on the Moon.
Updates
Update at 19:46 UTC on 2026-04-06
NASA News reported Editor’s note: This release was updated at 7:28 p.m. EDT on April 6, 2026, to reflect Orion’s final closest approach to the lunar surface from about 4,070 miles to about 4,067 miles. NASA also updated the farthest distan.
Sources: NASA News