Artemis: A Return to the Moon... and Beyond

About this episode

This episode discusses the Artemis II mission and its significance in human space exploration.

For the first time in more than 50 years, humans are preparing to venture back into deep space. With the launch of Artemis II, part of NASA’s Artemis program, four astronauts will travel around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, flying farther from Earth than any crew since the Apollo era. Powered by the Space Launch System (SLS), this historic mission marks a major step toward returning humans to the Moon and building a long-term presence beyond Earth. In this episode, we explore what makes Artemis II different, why this mission matters right now, and how it connects the legacy of Apollo to the future of human spaceflight, including future lunar missions and Mars exploration. We’re joined by planetary scientist Dr. Barbara Cohen of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, whose work on lunar samples, meteorites, and impact history helps us better understand the Moon and what it can teach us about Earth and the solar system.

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Barbara Cohen

Topics covered

• space exploration
• Artemis program
• lunar missions
• Mars exploration
• human spaceflight
• NASA
• Apollo legacy

Keywords

• Artemis II
• Moon
• NASA
• Orion spacecraft
• Apollo
• deep space
• lunar samples
• Mars exploration
• planetary science

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Apollo

Products: Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS)

More episodes of Off the Radar

• A Special Message from Emily Gracey · May 19, 2026 · 4 min
• I Was There: A Look Back at Hurricane Katrina · May 12, 2026 · 22 min
• From the Vault: Concerts & Climate Activism with AJR's Adam Met · May 5, 2026 · 42 min
• Love Canal Pt. 2 - Surviving Tragedy · April 28, 2026 · 37 min
• Love Canal Pt. 1 - A Ticking Time Bomb · April 21, 2026 · 53 min
• The 2026 Hurricane Season Outlook · April 14, 2026 · 18 min