More than half a century after the final Apollo mission, humans are returning to the Moon. The latest episode of Physics World Stories reflects on Artemis II – the April 2026 mission that flew four astronauts around the Moon, travelling further from Earth than anyone before them.
The mission marks a major step towards returning humans to the lunar surface and paving the way for a future mission to Mars. It also marked an important societal milestone, as the crew included the first woman, the first person of colour, and the first non-US citizen to fly to the Moon.
Ambre Trujillo of the Planetary Society discusses the excitement surrounding humanity’s return to lunar exploration. In conversation with host Andrew Glester, Trujillo reflects on witnessing her first rocket launch and explains why she sees the Artemis programme as every bit as significant as Apollo for a new generation. Looking ahead, Artemis III in 2027 will test the rendezvous and docking capabilities needed between Orion and commercial landing systems, before Artemis IV aims to return humans to the lunar surface in 2028.
Targeting greener spaceflight
The episode also examines the environmental impact of spaceflight with Alexis Normand, whose company Greenly specializes in carbon accounting. Normand argues that while the space industry’s overall footprint remains relatively small, its ambition and global visibility give it enormous power to inspire wider technological change. Liquid hydrogen was critical in powering Orion’s liftoff and later thrusting it towards the Moon, and could one day help transform aviation into a low-carbon industry. But that hinges hydrogen production itself becoming greener through renewable-powered electrolysis and broader electrification.
Blending lunar ambition with climate innovation, the episode explores how missions to the Moon could help shape the future both in space and here on Earth.
- Find out more about the Artemis II mission in this Physics World feature by science writer and astronomer Keith Cooper.
