As NASA launches a crewed Moon mission, Australia is once again playing a critical role

NASA/Canberra Deep Space Communication Network

On April 1 2026, NASA is sending astronauts back around the Moon. And Australia will play a critical role in helping them get there.

Four astronauts will launch from Florida, bound for the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. Similar to the 1968 Apollo 8 spaceflight, the Artemis II mission will orbit the Moon without landing, to test the spacecraft and the systems that support it. It paves the way for the next Artemis missions, with an eventual crewed Moon landing slated for early 2028.