Artemis II’s Moonshot

Today, humans will travel farther from Earth than ever before.

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to conduct its lunar flyby today. It will bring the four-person crew 252,757 miles (406,773 kilometers) from Earth.

The Artemis missions mark the first time humans have left orbit since the early 1970s.

Per NASA: “Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.”

The space agency has developed an entire brand around the Artemis missions, complete with a story and a distinct look and feel. According to descriptions, the warm palette gradient captures a sense of optimism and new beginnings while the cool palette represents the unknown of space exploration.

Even the rationale for the Artemis logo is prominently featured on NASA’s website.

Do You Read Me?

When NASA first went to the moon, the entire Apollo program used about as much computing power as a single Google search (in 2012).

Modern technology has empowered the Artemis missions – and NASA’s ability to promote them and educate the public. You can track Artemis II or livestream the mission in real-time – including the lunar flyby this afternoon.  

In addition to mission-critical moments and research, the Artemis II astronauts have made time for PR and communications — from talk show appearances here on Earth to Q&A sessions from space.

The messaging has a compelling takeaway: Today, astronauts may be headed toward the moon. But that’s not Artemis’ ultimate destination. Each Artemis mission is a benchmark in a broader campaign with a distinct goal.  

Three years ago, Stephen Colbert asked Artemis II captain Reid Wiseman “Why are we going back to the moon?”

He answered: “Because we want to see humans on Mars.”