People Keep Asking What Happened to Artemis I — Here’s the Answer
The Artemis I mission lasted 25 days, 10 hours, and 53 minutes.
Published April 2 2026, 10:28 a.m. ET
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022
In March 2026, NASA announced its plans to build a permanent settlement on the moon. The massive goal will take years to accomplish, and the space agency has laid out part of the outline of how they plan to accomplish it. The Artemis series of ships will play a major role in this plan, and they will be used to help test the tools and technology needed to start work on the moon.
That plan will continue to play out in 2026, as Artemis II does a 10-day flyby of the moon at the start of April.
But, as Artemis II continues to garner a lot of attention due to the historic launch, many are wondering what happened to Artemis I.
The original Artemis ship was used for an initial test flight that traveled around the moon during a 25-day trip, where NASA was able to test the ship's technology before planning a manned flight several years later. Keep reading to learn more about Artemis I, as well as what is on the horizon with Artemis III, the next ship headed to the moon.
Artemis II launch on April 1, 2026.
What happened to Artemis I?
NASA launched Artemis I on Nov. 16, 2022, according to the space agency. The mission lasted 25 days, 10 hours, and 53 minutes, taking the astronauts 1.4 million miles during that time. Believe it or not, the Artemis I reached a re-entry speed of 24,581, which translates into Mach 32.
The ship that splashed back down to Earth on Dec. 11, 2022, brought with it new information about what NASA would need to do to prepare for its next mission into space, especially if it planned to send humans.
What is going on with Artemis II?
Artemis II launched into space on Apr. 1, 2026, making it the first manned mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. It will take four astronauts through space for 10 days, as the spaceship flies around the moon, coming within several thousand feet of the Earth's satellite.
The mission will be used to test a variety of different equipment during the trip, including the deep-space communication that will be needed once NASA starts working on a permanent settlement.
When will Artemis III launch?
The Artemis III will likely launch in 2027, when it will take another group of astronauts into space. This time, they will test rendezvous and docking technologies, which will take place between the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
This is a pivotal next step for NASA's plan to land astronauts on the moon, since the space agency said that it will use several different launches to bring laborers into space to build the settlement.
This phased plan will involve launches that NASA says will take place every few months after the 2027 test. While there's no exact timeline for how long it will take NASA to build a permanent settlement, the agency hopes that its efforts will allow America to become the first country to establish residency in space, the next great frontier.