Orion Spacecraft for Artemis II Named “Integrity”

A Historic Name for a Historic Mission

NASA has officially named the Orion spacecraft for the upcoming Artemis II mission “Integrity”. This milestone reflects not only the engineering excellence behind the program but also the values guiding humanity’s return to the Moon.

Artemis II is poised to be NASA’s first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, carrying four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Scheduled for February 2026, the mission will pave the way for sustained lunar exploration and eventually, crewed missions to Mars.

Why Integrity?

The name was chosen to symbolize:

Trust & transparency in exploration.

Teamwork & collaboration, involving thousands of engineers, scientists, and global partners.

Commitment to safety, ensuring the crew returns home safely.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that the name represents the character required to achieve the Artemis goals—a reminder that space exploration is as much about human values as it is about technology.

Artemis II: What to Expect

Crew: Four astronauts, including the first woman and the first person of color to travel beyond low-Earth orbit.

Journey: A lunar flyby trajectory that will test all of Orion’s life support, navigation, and communication systems.

Goal: To demonstrate readiness for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface.

Why This Matters

The naming of Integrity is more than symbolic. It connects the mission to NASA’s vision of responsible, sustainable, and inclusive exploration. As Artemis II inches closer, the spacecraft’s identity will remind the world that exploration requires not only technology—but also shared values and unity.