Artemis II is NASA's first crewed mission in the Artemis programme [1][2]. It will carry four astronauts—three American and one Canadian—aboard the Orion spacecraft launched by the Space Launch System (SLS) to fly around the Moon and return to Earth [1][2]. The mission is not a landing; its purpose is to validate life support systems, navigation, communications, and other critical deep-space technologies needed for future lunar surface missions [1][2].

Regarding actual crewed lunar landing, the timeline has shifted multiple times. Originally planned for Artemis III around 2027, NASA has now adjusted the schedule, with the first crewed landing now expected around 2028 or later [3]. The landing will use commercial lunar systems (such as SpaceX's Starship HLS) to deliver astronauts to the lunar surface, likely near the South Pole [3]. Subsequent Artemis missions (IV and beyond) will continue expanding lunar exploration and establish long-term surface operations.