NASA is working on its next big moon mission. The mission is called Artemis 2. It is planned for launch in 2026. This comes as the agency looks back at a historic flight from 1968. That mission was Apollo 8.
In December 1968, three astronauts made history. Their names were Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders. They flew on Apollo 8. They were the first people to leave Earth’s orbit. They traveled to the moon and orbited it.
The year 1968 was difficult on Earth. It was marked by war and social unrest. The Apollo 8 mission gave people a positive goal to focus on. It provided hope during a troubled time.
NASA made a bold decision for that mission. The lunar lander was not ready. But NASA chose to send the crew to orbit the moon anyway. This was a risky move. It kept the space program moving forward.
The mission was a great success. The crew safely orbited the moon. They took a famous photo called “Earthrise.” It showed Earth rising over the moon’s horizon. On Christmas Eve, they did a live broadcast from lunar orbit. They read from the Book of Genesis. Millions of people around the world watched.
The public response was huge. Time magazine named the astronauts “Men of the Year.” Many people felt the mission “saved” the year 1968.
Artemis 2: A New Mission for a New Era
Now, NASA is preparing Artemis 2. It will send four astronauts around the moon. This will be the first crewed mission of the Artemis program. The goal is to return humans to the moon for long-term exploration.
The crew has been selected. They are NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. Also flying is Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. They will not land on the moon. Their mission is to test the new spacecraft systems.
They will fly in the Orion spacecraft. It will be launched by the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The trip will last about 10 days.
This mission is similar to Apollo 8 in some ways. Both are the first crewed flights to the moon in their programs. Both aim to test systems before a landing.
But the world is very different now. Space historian Dwayne Day notes this. “History doesn’t repeat, although it does rhyme,” he said. The challenges today are not the same.
NASA faces budget pressures and changing political goals. Some former astronauts have expressed safety concerns. The space agency must work with international partners and private companies.
The goal of Artemis 2 is clear. It must prove that the Orion capsule and SLS rocket are safe for people. A successful mission will pave the way for Artemis 3. That mission plans to land astronauts on the lunar surface.
Two Missions, One Goal: Looking Forward
Comparing Apollo 8 and Artemis 2 shows how spaceflight has changed. Apollo was a race against a single competitor. Artemis is a global partnership for sustainable exploration.
The risk factor is also viewed differently. Apollo 8 was a daring, high-risk gamble to win the Space Race. Artemis 2 is a deliberate, tested step in a long-term plan.
Yet, the core purpose remains similar. Both missions represent a powerful human drive. It is the drive to explore, to achieve difficult goals, and to look back at our home from a new perspective.
The “Earthrise” photo changed how we see our planet. Artemis may inspire a new generation in the same way. It aims to send the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface.
NASA continues to prepare for the Artemis 2 launch. The agency hopes this mission will capture the world’s imagination. Just as Apollo 8 did more than fifty years ago.