NASA is entering the tightest stretch yet before its first crewed lunar voyage of the Artemis era, with Artemis 2 now poised to fly astronauts around the moon roughly one month from now if final tests hold.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke will set an agency record when he makes his 10th ever spacewalk Jan. 8, 2026, along with Zena Cardman. How to watch it live.

FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team provides live blog coverage of all 2026 launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Whether Artemis ultimately fulfills its promise of sustained lunar exploration, or is reshaped by politics, budgets and competition with China, the program's first crewed flight around the moon will mark a definitive turning point. In 2026, humanity isn't just planning to return to lunar space — it's actually going.