Artemis II was merely a declaration of intent in a new, bruising contest for lunar dominance.

Ever since the final footsteps from the Apollo, the lunar surface has remained the primary focus of our cosmic curiosity.

NASA recently launched its Artemis II mission, marking the first crewed voyage beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The agency has described Artemis II as “the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years”.

First crewed lunar journey since 1972

NASA has said it intends to send four astronauts on a ten-day journey around the Moon in early 2026, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than half a century.