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Artemis II Set for Feb 8 Launch Amid Planetary Parade and New NASA Astronaut

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  • The astronauts set to fly around the Moon during NASA’s Artemis II test flight depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    The astronauts set to fly around the Moon during NASA’s Artemis II test flight depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC. (Credit: NASA/Jim Ross) Source Full size
  • The astronauts set to fly around the Moon during NASA’s Artemis II test flight depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    The astronauts set to fly around the Moon during NASA’s Artemis II test flight depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC. (Credit: NASA/Jim Ross) Source Full size
  • The astronauts set to fly around the Moon during NASA’s Artemis II test flight depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    The astronauts set to fly around the Moon during NASA’s Artemis II test flight depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC. (Credit: NASA/Jim Ross) Source Full size

Artemis II Launch Window and Four‑Person Crew NASA has opened a launch window beginning Feb 8, 2026, with the exact lift‑off date pending final safety checks [3][4]. The crew consists of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, marking the first crewed lunar‑related launch in over five decades [1][3][4]. This international lineup reflects NASA’s partnership with the Canadian Space Agency and the program’s return to deep‑space human flight after Apollo 17 [3][4].

Ten‑Day Lunar Flyby Tests Orion and SLS Systems The mission will last roughly ten days, including a two‑day Earth‑orbit segment to verify Orion’s life‑support, air‑regeneration, and carbon‑dioxide removal systems [1][3][4]. Afterward the spacecraft will perform a targeting demonstration before looping around the Moon for a flyby, without attempting a surface landing [1][3][4]. Data gathered will inform hardware and operational designs for future Artemis landings and longer‑duration Mars missions [3][4].

Artemis Program Targets Moon Base and Mars Pathway Artemis aims to establish a permanent human presence at the lunar south pole, where water‑ice deposits are suspected, serving as a staging point for crewed missions to Mars [1][4]. The program competes with China’s announced 2030 Taikonaut lunar landing, prompting congressional calls for an accelerated U.S. return [2]. NASA’s long‑term roadmap envisions the Artemis II flight as a critical step toward the Artemis III landing and eventual Martian exploration [1][3][4].

February Planetary Parade and New Majority‑Female Astronaut Starting Feb 17, a planetary alignment featuring Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Mercury will be visible, with Venus appearing at sunset on the new‑moon day [1]. Washington native Dr Lauren Edgar, selected in 2025 for NASA’s first majority‑female astronaut class, is now in a two‑year training program that includes ISS robotics and geology practice [1]. Edgar’s training underscores the program’s emphasis on diverse expertise for upcoming Artemis missions [1].

Blue Origin Shifts to Lunar Program as NASA Contracts Expand Blue Origin announced a minimum two‑year pause of its New Shepard suborbital tourism flights to redirect resources toward its human lunar‑lander development [2]. NASA has awarded lunar‑lander contracts to both Blue Origin and SpaceX, with SpaceX slated for Artemis III and Blue Origin positioned as a backup if schedule slips occur [2]. Lawmakers are urging a swift lunar return before China’s 2030 goal, adding political pressure to the commercial lunar‑landscape [2].

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Timeline

Dec 1972 – Apollo 17 lands the last humans on the Moon, ending the Apollo era and setting a half‑century benchmark that Artemis II seeks to surpass [2].

Sep 23, 2025 – NASA targets a Feb 5, 2026 launch for Artemis II, names astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, and confirms the mission will loop around the Moon without landing [3].

Dec 28, 2025 – The 2026 lunar calendar highlights Artemis II’s far‑side mapping, Blue Origin’s 26‑ft “Blue Moon” lander prototype, and China’s south‑pole rover and ice‑seeking hopper, underscoring growing international activity on the Moon [8].

Dec 31, 2025 – Artemis II stays on track for a possible Feb 6 launch, with the heat‑shield issue from Artemis I resolved, and the crew will conduct health‑science experiments during the ten‑day deep‑space flight [6].

Jan 9, 2026 – NASA announces the rollout of the 322‑ft Space Launch System and Orion capsule from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B, plans a wet‑dress rehearsal in late January, and lists Feb 6 as the earliest launch if all systems are green [2].

Jan 17, 2026 – The SLS begins a 4‑mile, 12‑hour crawl to Pad 39B; astronauts watch the move, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman leads cheers, and officials say a February launch remains possible [7].

Jan 18, 2026 – The SLS arrives at Pad 39B, opening launch windows from early February; mission‑management chair John Honeycutt stresses safety, a wet‑dress rehearsal is scheduled, and Airbus’s European Service Module provides essential propulsion for Orion [1].

Jan 18, 2026 – NASA opens Artemis II virtual boarding passes, adding more than 1.5 million public names to an SD card that will fly aboard the spacecraft [10][13].

Late Jan 2026 – NASA conducts a wet‑dress rehearsal on Pad 39B, simulating fuel handling and countdown procedures to validate launch readiness [1][2].

Jan 30, 2026 – NASA sets the first launch window to begin Feb 8, confirms the four‑person crew, and outlines a lunar flyby that will test Orion’s life‑support, navigation and targeting systems [9][12].

Jan 30, 2026 – Blue Origin pauses New Shepard sub‑orbital tourism flights for at least two years to redirect resources toward its human‑lunar capabilities [4].

Jan 31, 2026 – NASA administrator Jared Isaacman meets with SpaceX and Blue Origin to discuss accelerating the Artemis timeline and ensuring NASA does not wait on a single contractor [4].

Early Feb 2026 – NASA performs a fueling test of the SLS on Pad 39B, a prerequisite before confirming the exact Artemis II launch date [11][13].

Feb 8, 2026 – The first Artemis II launch window opens, marking the first crewed lunar‑related launch in over 50 years and a key step toward a sustainable lunar presence [9][12].

Feb 17, 2026 – A planetary parade featuring Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Mercury begins, offering public sky‑watching opportunities throughout February [11].

2027 (earliest) – Artemis III plans a lunar south‑pole landing, with the surface lander still undecided between SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s concept [2].

2028 – NASA expects SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System to carry astronauts to the Moon for Artemis III, though schedule risks keep the exact date uncertain [5].

2030 – China targets a crewed south‑pole mission by 2030, prompting U.S. congressional calls for an earlier American lunar return [4].

Ongoing – The Artemis program pursues a permanent lunar base, Gateway expansion, and a stepping‑stone architecture for future crewed missions to Mars [2][11].

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