Send your name to the Moon and be part of history as NASA’s Artemis II prepares for February launch

Send Your Name to the Moon: NASA Opens Free Global Sign-Up Ahead of Artemis II Lunar Flyby (Illustration by Suneesh K.)

NASA is preparing to launch the Artemis II mission as early as February 6, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon. It will be the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972 and a key step in NASA’s Moon and Mars plans. Alongside the mission, NASA is inviting people worldwide to send their names to the Moon for free, with registrations open until January 21.

Did our AI summary help?

NASA is preparing for Artemis II, a crewed mission designed to carry astronauts farther into space than any humans have travelled before, marking a critical step in the agency’s renewed push toward the Moon and beyond.

The Artemis II mission is scheduled for launch early February, pending technical readiness and weather conditions. Additional launch opportunities remain available through February, March, and April. The flight will carry four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft for a lunar flyby mission lasting roughly ten days. It will be the first time humans travel around the Moon since 1972, ending a decades-long pause in crewed deep space exploration.

Artemis II mission and historic lunar journey

The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will also join the mission. Together, they will orbit the Moon without landing, testing spacecraft systems and mission operations. NASA says the journey will validate technologies and procedures required for future lunar landings. The agency views Artemis II as a vital bridge between test flights and sustained human presence on the Moon.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the mission would extend human exploration farther than ever before. He added that the flight would provide knowledge needed for returning astronauts to the lunar surface. Officials say lessons from Artemis II will shape future missions under the Artemis programme.

1.5 million names are flying around the Moon on Artemis II. Is yours one of them? It's not too late to add your name to the mission—and it's absolutely free: https://t.co/tUAM7BTfjtpic.twitter.com/Thp5NSmeva

— NASA (@NASA) January 18, 2026

Public invited to send names aboard Orion spacecraft

Alongside mission preparations, NASA has launched a public engagement initiative inviting people worldwide to send their names to the Moon. Participants can register their names through NASA’s official website until Jan. 21. Once registered, each participant receives a digital boarding pass as a commemorative keepsake.

NASA confirmed that registered names will be stored on an SD card placed inside the Orion spacecraft. When Artemis II launches, those names will travel around the Moon with the crew. NASA shared on social media that more than 1.5 million names are already scheduled to fly. Officials say participation remains free and open globally.

What Artemis II means for future exploration

NASA says public involvement reflects the broader goals of the Artemis programme. The campaign aims to inspire global interest while advancing scientific and technological progress. Artemis missions are intended to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. That effort will also support future crewed missions to Mars.

Artemis II will test life support, navigation, and communication systems in deep space. Engineers will analyse performance during the mission to refine future spacecraft designs. NASA officials say success would pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon.

As launch preparations continue, Artemis II represents a symbolic and technical milestone. The mission combines human exploration, international cooperation, and public participation. For NASA, it marks another step toward extending humanity’s reach deeper into space.