The mission is the first crewed test flight in Nasa’s Artemis programme, the flagship US effort to begin regular flights to the moon, at an estimated cost of at least $93 billion (€81 billion) since 2012. Nasa is relying on an array of companies in its moon programme, hoping to stimulate a commercial lunar market in the future, the value of which is hard to estimate, analysts say. The Artemis II mission will pose a greater test of Nasa’s Orion capsule and SLS, which conducted a similar uncrewed mission in 2022. Thereafter, another launch window, determined largely by orbital mechanics between Earth and the moon, opens on April 30th. News media gather to view Nasa's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

Source: The Irish Times March 31, 2026 20:18 UTC