The Countdown Is On: NASA Sets Timeline for Humanity’s Return to the Moon

For the first time in more than half a century, NASA is officially preparing to send humans back to the Moon. Yes, you read that right. The space agency has locked in April 2026 as the target date for Artemis II, the first crewed lunar mission since the legendary Apollo program.

It has been 50 years since astronauts last set foot on the Moon, but this upcoming journey is about more than planting flags and taking photos. It is about testing the future of human space exploration.

A Quick Trip Back in Time: How We Got Here

The Moon has always fascinated us, from ancient myths to the space race of the 1960s. The launch of Sputnik I in 1957 proved that space travel was possible, and less than 12 years later, Apollo 11 landed humans on the Moon for the first time in 1969.

After that golden era came Apollo 17 in 1972, which became the last crewed mission to the lunar surface. Astronauts spent three days collecting samples, taking measurements, and leaving their footprints behind. Since then, human exploration of the Moon has been on pause. Only robotic probes have visited.