In this edition of TPO Explains, we break down Artemis II, explaining its role as NASA’s first crewed deep-space mission since Apollo, what it accomplished, and how it fits into plans to return to the moon and eventually reach Mars.
April 11, 2026
What is Artemis II?
NASA’s first crewed deep-space mission since Apollo.
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen launched on April 1, looped around the moon, and then splashed back down yesterday. Monday afternoon, they broke the record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth: ~252,760 miles, topping Apollo 13’s (unintentional) 1970 record.
Didn’t we already go to the moon?
The Apollo program (the moon landing missions) was essentially a series of camping trips: plant the flag, collect some rocks, come home.
And Artemis II never touched the moon.
Then what was the point?
NASA’s real target is the lunar south pole, where shadowed craters hold deposits of water ice (exactly what it sounds like [unless you’re from Philly]) that can be broken down into rocket fuel. The vision: an outpost that functions as a refueling station for deeper space missions.
But the long game isn’t the moon… It’s Mars.
Artemis II was more of a dress rehearsal, testing out the hardware for an eventual main event.
So who’re we racing against?
China, which plans to land on the moon by 2030. Whoever gets to the lunar south pole first gets to choose where to build infrastructure.
Think: less flag planting and more claiming a harbor.
What does it cost?
A lot. The Artemis II rocket and capsule alone cost more than $44B to develop, each mission requires another ~$4B to fly, and the full Artemis program has already topped $90B.
So, when will we actually land on the moon again?
Artemis III (2027) is staying in low Earth orbit to test the lunar landers (spacecraft designed to touchdown on the moon). An actual touchdown is targeted for Artemis IV in 2028… hopefully.
With lunar missions, timelines are a big guess.
Don’t forget to catch today’s episode of the TPO Explains podcast to dig a little deeper with us (voyage to the south pole of this email for the link).
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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The same psalmist who marveled at the moon and stars landed on a profound question: Why does God care about us at all? Yet He does… deeply. And for that, we offer Him praise!
“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor.”
Psalm 8:3-5 (CSB) (read full passage)
