We're Going Back

Artemis: The Next Giant Leap

• The Artemis Program is NASA's bold return to the Moon — and the first step toward Mars
• Artemis unites international partners (NASA, ESA, JAXA, CSA) in a shared deep-space roadmap
• The program will build Gateway, a lunar orbital outpost shaping the future of space travel

Ascent: From Liftoff to Trans-Lunar Injection

• SLS is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built, producing 8.8 million pounds of thrust
• The launch trajectory includes SRB separation at 2 minutes and MECO just over 8 minutes in
• Orion performs a precise Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn, slinging it toward the Moon
• The mission profile involves multiple stage separations and a high-speed return from 25,000 mph
• Every stage is designed to withstand extreme temperatures, vibration, and deep-space conditions

Inside Mission Control

• The Firing Room at KSC has overseen launches since Apollo 11
• Artemis II controllers monitor thousands of data points per second
• Specialists oversee propulsion, cryogenics, guidance, avionics, comms, and ground systems
• The room becomes silent at "T-10 seconds" — an echo of tradition dating back to Saturn V
• Artemis brings together the most diverse controller team in NASA history

Standing Ready for Deep Space

• Artemis I was the first integrated flight of SLS and Orion
• The spacecraft stood 322 feet tall, taller than the Statue of Liberty
• Its night rollouts became iconic — illuminated by spotlights and framed by the Moon
• The mission validated systems for crewed flights and lunar return architecture
• Artemis I traveled 1.3 million miles — the farthest a human-rated spacecraft has ever flown

Orion: Humanity's Deep-Space Capsule

• Orion is built for 21-day missions in deep space, with room for 4 astronauts
• Its pressure vessel contains the most advanced life-support systems ever flown
• The capsule can withstand re-entry at over 5,000°F, returning faster than Apollo
• Orion contains 12 engines, 33 thrusters, and an advanced heat-shield architecture
• The capsule's interior is designed for zero-gravity efficiency and emergency redundancy

Built to Survive the Fire

• Orion's heat shield is the largest monolithic ablative shield ever built
• It protects the spacecraft from 25,000 mph atmospheric re-entry — faster than any human vehicle
• Made of Avcoat blocks, each panel is hand-inspected for microscopic imperfections
• The shield endures temperatures hotter than molten lava
• Artemis II's heat shield is the key to safely returning astronauts from lunar orbit

Ready for liftoff? Explore the shirts inspired by Artemis and the next era of human exploration.

Shop the Project Artemis Hawaiian Shirt