NASA’s Artemis II mission is gearing up for a mid-2026 launch, sending the Orion spacecraft and crew on a journey around the moon. Recent updates show the SLS rocket’s core stage being moved into an upright position for final preparations. Artemis II is a critical step towards Artemis III, aiming for a 2027 moon landing and marking the first time since 1972 that NASA astronauts will walk on the lunar surface.