The Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, represents a significant advancement in NASA's efforts to return humans to the Moon. Although it was not designed to land, the mission successfully completed a crewed lunar flyby, achieving a closest approach of 6,545 km (4,067 miles) above the lunar surface on April 6, 2026. This mission tested critical systems aboard the Orion spacecraft, including life-support, communication, and manual piloting capabilities, ensuring the safety and functionality of equipment for future lunar missions. Notably, Artemis II set a new human spaceflight distance record by traveling 406,771 km (252,756 miles) from Earth, surpassing the previous record held by Apollo 13. The data collected will be instrumental for Artemis IV, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2028. Additionally, the mission provided valuable insights into deep-space radiation effects on human health and tested advanced communication technologies necessary for future lunar bases.