SLS missions[edit]

Artemis I (2022) will be an uncrewed test of the SLS and Orion, and is the first test flight for both craft. [a] The goal of the Artemis I mission will be to place Orion into a lunar
orbit, and then return it to Earth. The SLS will use the ICPS second stage, which will perform the trans-lunar injection burn to send Orion to lunar space. Orion will brake
into a retrograde distant polar lunar orbit and remain for about six days before boosting back toward Earth. The Orion capsule will separate from its service module, re-
enter the atmosphere for aerobraking, and splash down under parachutes.[10]

Artemis II (2024) will be the first crewed test flight of SLS and the Orion spacecraft. [11] The four crew members will perform extensive testing in Earth orbit, and Orion will
then be boosted into a free-return trajectory around the Moon, which will return Orion back to Earth for re-entry and splashdown. Launch is scheduled no earlier than May
2024.[12]

Artemis III (2025) will be a crewed lunar landing.[11] The mission depends on a support mission to place a Human Landing System (HLS) in place in a near-rectilinear halo
orbit (NRHO) of the Moon prior to the launch of SLS/Orion. After HLS reaches NRHO, SLS/Orion will send the Orion spacecraft with a crew of four, which is intended to
include the first woman and the first person of color to land on the Moon, to rendezvous and dock with HLS. [b] Two astronauts will transfer to HLS, which will descend to the
lunar surface and spend about 6.5 days on the surface. The astronauts will perform at least two EVAs on the surface before the HLS ascends to return them to a
rendezvous with Orion. Orion will return the four astronauts to Earth. Launch is scheduled no earlier than 2025. [13]

Artemis IV (2027) is a crewed mission to the Lunar Gateway station in NRHO, using an SLS Block 1B. A prior support mission will deliver the first two gateway modules to
NRHO. The extra power of the Block 1B will allow SLS/Orion to deliver the I-HAB gateway module for connection to the Gateway. Launch is scheduled no earlier than
2027.[14]

Artemis V through Artemis VIII and beyond are proposed to land astronauts on the lunar surface, where they will take advantage of increasing amounts of infrastructure
that are to be landed by support missions. These will include habitats, rovers, scientific instruments, and resource extraction equipmen