Historic mission/ NASA returns astronauts around the Moon on March 6

2026-02-20 23:39:54Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Historic mission/ NASA returns astronauts around the Moon on March 6
NASA returns astronauts to the Moon on March 6

NASA has set March 6 as the target date for the launch of the Artemis II mission, marking humanity's return to lunar orbit for the first time in more than five decades.

Four astronauts will undertake a 10-day journey around the far side of the Moon and return to Earth, in a mission considered the next step towards a future landing on the lunar surface.

The mission will be the longest spaceflight ever undertaken by astronauts. The flight around the far side of the Moon will test the capsule and rocket systems under real-world conditions, paving the way for future Artemis missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon and eventually exploring Mars.

Artemis II will be the first crewed mission under this program, following the unmanned test flight of Artemis I.

The decision on the launch date came after a successful "wet dress rehearsal," a critical pre-launch test during which the rocket is fueled and goes through the entire countdown procedure.

This was the Artemis team's second attempt at this test at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The success of the test is considered a key step towards the mission's operational readiness.

The Artemis program aims not only to return to the Moon symbolically, but also to establish a sustainable presence there. The next mission with a landing on the surface will rely directly on the data and experience of Artemis II.

After the era of the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s, this development marks a new chapter in the international race and cooperation for deep space exploration.


Video