What We're Tracking NASA to launch Artemis I mission to the moon. NASA is slated to launch the first major mission under its Artemis lunar exploration program on Aug. 29. The unmanned Artemis I mission will test the performance of the U.S. space agency's new Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket ever built, and the Orion spacecraft in the hopes of certifying their use for future crewed missions. In addition to sending astronauts back to the moon for the first time in five decades, the United States is also seeking to set the rules for future space exploration and resource development by having the space programs of other countries that want to participate in the ambitious Artemis program first sign bilateral agreements with NASA.