NASA made a major advancement on the Artemis 2 Moon mission on December 21. The four-person crew completed the countdown demonstration test simulating launch day timeline ahead of their flight in February 2026. The test involved the Artemis 2 crew suiting up and climbing in and out of the Orion spacecraft mounted atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
One step closer!🌖
Today, @NASAArtemis II crew participated in a launch day rehearsal, called a countdown demonstration test. The activity simulated the launch day timeline, including the crew suiting up in their spacesuits and climbing in and out of their spacecraft.… pic.twitter.com/vEqYoAoMmF
— NASA (@NASA) December 20, 2025
NASA said the demonstration took place inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center where teams are carrying out final preparations on the spacecraft, rocket, and ground systems.
Artemis 2 will be the second mission of NASA‘s Artemis Program and the first including astronauts. The crew members – Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch – will embark on a 10-day journey to the lunar orbit and return without landing on the Moon.
The mission’s objective is to test various systems of the human-rated Orion spacecraft and its robustness in deep space.
Artemis 2 will be followed by Artemis 3, that will see humans return to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. It will reportedly launch no earlier than 2028.
NASA’s resolve to return to the Moon
NASA is expected to move forward with no hiccups as it just got a new leader – Jared Isaacman. The billionaire entrepreneur took oath as the 15th administrator on December 18 and has vowed to win the Moon race against “rival” China.
“Looking good, crew. Nights and weekends–whatever it takes to get this right,” Isaacman posted, reacting to NASA’s news of completing the countdown test.
Isaacman’s resolve is emboldened by the executive order US President Donald Trump signed earlier this week, calling on US industry partners to return Americans to the Moon by 2028. The order also says that the Trump administration’s space policy will prioritise “establishing initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence in space and enable the next steps in Mars exploration.” Trump has also ordered readying a nuclear reactor to power the lunar bases by 2030.
Reacting to the executive order, Isaacman said – “NASA, with a relentless focus on the mission, will lead in the peaceful exploration of space and we will NEVER come in second place. Under this administration, we will continue to lead with the world in space exploration with purpose and ambition.”
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