general
Artemis II set to launch as China and Japan advance lunar programs
Artemis II will carry four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby to test the SLS and Orion, while China and Japan press ahead with their own lunar missions and timelines.
Mar 30th 2026 · United States
Insights
- NASA plans to launch Artemis II from Kennedy Space Center on 1 April at 18:24 local Florida with a 2 April backup window at 19:22.
- Four crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen will fly a 10-day lunar flyby aboard the SLS and Orion to test spacecraft systems.
- Artemis III has been retasked to low Earth orbit in 2027 and the first planned Artemis lunar landing is now scheduled for Artemis IV in 2028.
- China aims to send humans to the Moon before 2030 and will fly Chang'e-7 this year to survey the lunar south pole with an orbiter, lander, rover and mobile station.
- Japan private company ispace has delayed its planned Moon landing to 2030 and will prioritize orbital missions before attempting a soft landing.
- NASA intends annual Artemis missions after Artemis IV to build sustained lunar infrastructure and prepare for future Mars missions.
Sources
- EE.UU. y China compiten por llegar primeros a la Luna y explotar sus recursos www.lavanguardia.com
- La NASA prepara la cuenta atrás para la primera misión tripulada a la Luna en medio siglo: “Esto va en serio” elpais.com
- De Artemis II de la NASA a Chang'e-7 de China: todas las misiones a la Luna en los próximos años www.20minutos.es