Rain Date:  Saturday, July 18th, 7:00 to 10:00 PM

NASA Solar System Ambassador, MJ Johnson will provide a behind-the-scenes overview of the Artemis II Spaceflght.

Artemis II: The Return to Human Spaceflight

This year, for the first time in more than 50 years, humans have traveled beyond Earth orbit, marking a long hoped for new chapter in crewed exploration. The mission - known as Artemis II - builds on the legacy of Apollo while laying the groundwork for what is planned next: a return to the lunar surface, building a sustained human presence there, learning to address the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and preparing for eventual human missions to Mars.

Join NASA Solar System Ambassador M.J. Johnson as he explores the Artemis II mission, what got us to this point, its place within NASA’s Artemis campaign, and the systems and decisions that made it possible. We’ll walk through the mission itself, what it takes to send humans farther from Earth than we’ve ever traveled, and how modern spaceflight is designed to support crews operating beyond Earth orbit.

Finally, we’ll connect Artemis II to the broader trajectory of human exploration, from future lunar missions to the long-term goal of extending human presence deeper into the solar system.

Stick around afterward and view the heavens yourself through telescopes made available courtesy of the Aldrich Astronomical Society!

This non-technical presentation is appropriate for all ages.