Artemis II is a milestone mission that will launch four astronauts (three Americans and one Canadian) on a crewed lunar flyby, marking the first time humans have approached the Moon in over five decades.

As the modern successor to Apollo, Artemis II will orbit the Moon rather than land, offering a safer, Earth-orbiting approach with new twists while maintaining the race-to-the-Moon momentum.

The mission plan calls for a lunar flyby rather than a landing or lunar orbit, featuring a diverse crew that includes Christina Koch as the first woman to reach the Moon and Jeremy Hansen as the first non-American on such a mission.

Public opinion and policy priorities are in tension, with policymakers’ views likely to shape space spending even as voters push for other domestic priorities.

White House officials report progress toward ending Iran’s war, with Tehran signaling agreement on much of the U.S. demand list, while Iran accuses Washington of planning a ground invasion and promises a forceful response; discussions over sanctions leverage include potential oil seizures.

Victor Glover’s background includes growing up in Pomona with a police officer father and a bookkeeper mother, excelling in sports before engineering and Navy service that yielded extensive flight hours and combat missions.

Glover’s upbringing and family legacy, including his grandfather’s military ambitions, helped shape his drive toward space and his role as a high-profile trailblazer for representation in NASA.