Picture yourself on a starry night in Mumbai, gazing up at the glowing Moon from your balcony, imagining what it would be like to zoom around it in a spaceship. Not touching down, but flying close enough to peek at the hidden far side that Earth never sees. Sounds like a thrilling Bollywood sci-fi scene, right? But this isn’t fantasy. In the coming weeks, four brave astronauts will make this dream real through NASA’s Artemis II mission, and the world—especially here in India where we celebrate ISRO’s achievements—is buzzing with excitement.
Think about this: the last time humans ventured near the Moon was in 1972 during the Apollo era. That’s over fifty years ago, before many of us were born! Back then, astronauts like Neil Armstrong walked on lunar dust, collected rocks holding universe secrets, and beamed live footage to families gathered around old TVs. After that, Moon missions went silent, like a favorite show on a long break. Now NASA is bringing it back with Artemis, named after the Greek goddess of the Moon. This isn’t just a one-time adventure—it’s a long-term plan to return humans to the Moon, build camps there for extended stays, and eventually reach Mars. The Moon becomes our nearby training ground, teaching us how to survive far from Earth, managing air, water, and even growing food in harsh conditions.
Artemis II sits right in the heart of this grand plan. First came Artemis I in 2022, an unmanned test where the spacecraft circled the Moon with no crew, just to confirm everything worked against space dangers like radiation and freezing cold. It splashed down safely, giving engineers confidence. Now Artemis II raises the stakes by sending actual people. These four astronauts will orbit the Moon, getting as close as 100 kilometers to its cratered surface, before returning home. No landing yet—that’s saved for Artemis III—but this 10-day journey covering roughly 4.5 lakh kilometers tests human endurance in deep space. It’s like taking a new car on a highway trial before a long road trip, checking everything works perfectly.
Powering this epic voyage is the Space Launch System, a rocket standing 98 meters tall—taller than the Statue of Liberty. This beast generates thrust equal to thirteen Boeing 747 jets at takeoff, blasting off with flames hotter than molten lava. Sitting atop is the Orion capsule, the astronauts’ home: a 3-meter-wide pod with seats, computers, and life-support systems that recycle air and water, much like a high-tech camper. On January 17, 2026, NASA carefully moved this giant from its Florida assembly building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. The 6.4-kilometer journey on a massive crawler took eleven hours, crawling at just 1.6 km/h—slower than a bicycle—to avoid any damage. This rollout marks a crucial milestone, showing the hardware is launch-ready. Engineers recently completed crucial tests on Orion’s heat shield, which must withstand 2,760°C during re-entry, like a super-shield protecting against a firestorm.
Around February 2 comes what NASA calls the “wet dress rehearsal”—a serious practice run. Teams will pump in 2.7 million liters of super-cold fuel (liquid hydrogen and oxygen, chilled to -253°C and -183°C), simulate the entire countdown to launch time, then drain it all without actually firing the engines. This rehearsal catches problems early, like practicing cricket before the real match. If everything goes smoothly, launch is targeted for February 6, 2026, with backup dates until February 15 in case weather causes delays—rockets don’t like storms or strong winds.
Now meet the heroes making history. Commander Reid Wiseman, a Navy pilot with space station experience, leads with steady expertise. Victor Glover, the pilot, becomes the first Black astronaut on a lunar mission, inspiring millions that space welcomes everyone. Christina Koch, the mission specialist, already holds the record for longest female spaceflight and will become the first woman to orbit the Moon—proving talent knows no gender. Canadian Jeremy Hansen represents international teamwork, showing how nations unite for big dreams. These aren’t superheroes from movies; they’re real people who’ve trained hard, floating in weightless simulators, fixing pretend breakdowns, sharing meals while isolated from families. Imagine their view—watching Earth shrink to a fragile blue marble, reminding us how precious our planet is.
Why should this matter to us Indians? Space isn’t some distant elite hobby—it’s practical progress. Our ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon’s south pole in 2023, discovering water ice that could fuel future rockets, like finding free petrol. Artemis II advances similar technology: better solar panels for clean energy, radiation shields that improve cancer treatments, robotics inspiring Indian startups. It creates engineering and science opportunities, boosting our economy. Here’s something cool: 1.5 million names, including thousands from India, are stored on a USB drive aboard Orion. Your name could be there, making you a virtual space explorer!
As February approaches, excitement builds like before Diwali fireworks. Delays might happen—perfection matters more than speed—but the reward is worth it. This mission reignites wonder and unites humanity against challenges like climate change through shared innovation. When that rocket thunders skyward, it’s not just metal and fire—it’s our collective human spirit soaring, proving that with determination and intelligence, even the stars are within our reach. The Moon is calling, and we’re answering together.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
