NASA’s Artemis II mission is the first crewed deep-space flight since Apollo 17 in 1972. While the astronauts orbit the Moon, much of the technology enabling the mission is being built in Central Florida — notably at Honeywell’s Clearwater facility.

The Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch on Wednesday, will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey from Earth around the moon – the first time humans will travel that far into space since 1972. While the crew will not land on the moon,

NASA contractors working in the Tennessee Valley have spent years as a part of the Artemis program.

While I was leading a tour of the National Air and Space Museum in January 2026, a visitor posed this insightful question: “Why has it taken so long to return to the Moon?” After all, NASA had the know-how and technology to send humans to the lunar surface more than 50 years ago as part of the Apollo program.

Volusia County beaches expect heavy traffic for Artemis program launch. Over 60 parking lots available. Allow extra travel time.

A Sacramento area company built a crucial jettison motor for NASA's Artemis II, ensuring astronaut safety during the first crewed mission of the program.

Big news for space fans, NASA makes history by sending first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years. Here's how to watch the launch in Arizona.

NASA added a new mission to its Artemis lunar program and laid out a faster launch cadence targeting astronauts’ return to the Moon by early 2028, while framing Artemis and Gateway as steps toward an enduring,