Artemis II Mission: Europe's Role in Humanity's Return to the Moon

The NASA-led Artemis II mission with European collaboration attempts the first crewed lunar orbit in over 50 years.

Back to the Moon: Artemis II and Europe's Cosmic Ambitions

The launch of the Artemis II mission in 2026 marks a pivotal moment for human spaceflight and represents a significant chapter in European space exploration history. The four-person crew — including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen as the first non-American to travel to the Moon's vicinity — will complete a 10-day flight path taking the Orion spacecraft around the Moon and back to Earth, retracing and extending the trajectory of Apollo 13 but this time with a functional lunar orbit as the mission target.

The European Space Agency's contribution to the mission is substantial. ESA designed and built the European Service Module, the propulsion and energy system that powers the Orion spacecraft throughout its journey. The module represents Europe's most complex and consequential contribution to human spaceflight since the Automated Transfer Vehicle that serviced the International Space Station. Its successful performance on Artemis II will be critical for ESA's future role in the broader Artemis programme, including the planned Lunar Gateway orbital station to which Europe has committed significant resources.

Scientific objectives for the Artemis II mission include testing the Orion capsule's life support systems in deep space conditions, collecting data on cosmic radiation exposure for future long-duration missions, and demonstrating the navigation, communication, and thermal management systems that will be required for sustained human presence beyond low Earth orbit. The mission will also deploy several small scientific payloads to gather data on the lunar radiation environment and surface geology.

For the European public and space community, Artemis II has generated a level of excitement not seen since the early days of ISS construction. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher has used the mission to build political support for increased European investment in human spaceflight, arguing that Europe's future as a scientific and technological power requires a seat at the table in humanity's expansion beyond Earth.