NASA's Artemis follow-up mission 'right around the corner' after successful lunar flight

The satellite whitethorn inactive beryllium captivated by the breathtaking views, record-setting region and affectional homecoming of Artemis II, but for NASA, the adjacent section is already successful motion.

Entry formation manager Rick Henfling alluded to Artemis III being successful the abstraction agency’s sights aft the Artemis II unit safely splashed down successful the Pacific on Saturday.

"The adjacent mission’s close astir the corner," Henfling said.

In the adjacent high-stakes ngo acceptable to motorboat adjacent year, Artemis III astronauts volition stay successful Earth’s orbit and signifier docking their Orion capsule with a commercialized lunar lander, a captious measurement earlier immoderate instrumentality to the moon.

ARTEMIS II ASTRONAUTS SPLASHDOWN AFTER FIRST MOON MISSION IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS

The Artemis II unit captured a presumption of Earth mounting down the Moon during a lunar flyby connected April 6, 2026. (NASA/AP)

Elon Musk’s Starship and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Moon landers are some competing to beryllium their company’s lander volition beryllium acceptable first.

The billionaires are besides vying for the accidental to transportation Artemis IV astronauts during the archetypal planned satellite landing of the programme successful 2028.

The Artemis II Orion capsule splashes down successful the Pacific Ocean connected April 10, 2026. (NASA/AP)

ARTEMIS II ASTRONAUTS SHOW OFF APOLLO 18 FLAG FROM SPACE

NASA has already positioned cardinal hardware for the docking trial astatine Kennedy Space Center, portion SpaceX prepares different Starship trial formation and Blue Origin pushes toward its ain lunar landing objection aboriginal this year.

The semipermanent extremity is acold bigger than a azygous landing. NASA and its partners are targeting the moon’s southbound pole, believed to person immense reserves of crystal that could supply h2o and substance for a aboriginal basal — a task expected to outgo $20 cardinal to $30 billion.

The Artemis II unit members Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman look connected signifier astatine the extremity of a unit instrumentality lawsuit astatine Ellington Field successful Houston connected April 11, 2026. (Michael Wyke/AP)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

NASA is expected to denote the Artemis III unit soon. The ngo is designed to reflector Apollo-era testing, reducing hazard earlier sending astronauts backmost to the lunar aboveground for the archetypal clip successful much than 50 years.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.