
The NASA Artemis 2 mission spacecraft has been named “Integrity” by its four astronauts, who are set to embark on a historic journey around the Moon as early as February 5, 2026. The name represents the foundation of trust, respect, candor, and humility that the crew and thousands of engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, and dreamers have built to ensure the mission’s success. Integrity will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed mission to the lunar neighborhood since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The NASA Artemis 2 mission spacecraft has been named “Integrity” by its four astronauts, who are set to embark on a historic journey around the Moon as early as February 5, 2026. The name represents the foundation of trust, respect, candor, and humility that the crew and thousands of engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, and dreamers have built to ensure the mission’s success. Integrity will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon, marking the first crewed mission to the lunar neighborhood since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The spacecraft that will carry astronauts to lunar realms for the first time in more than half a century now has a name. The four astronauts of NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, who could launch on their trip around the Moon as early as February 5, 2026, announced today (September 24, 2025) that they have named their Orion capsule “Integrity.” The name was chosen after a thorough and collaborative process among the crew members, who considered the NASA core values, the Canadian Space Agency core values, and the mission’s objectives. The Artemis 2 crew consists of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, who will launch atop a Space Launch System rocket during a window that extends from February 5 to April 26, 2026.
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The Significance of the Name “Integrity”
The name “Integrity” embodies the foundation of trust, respect, candor, and humility that the crew and thousands of engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, and dreamers have built to ensure the mission’s success. According to NASA officials, “The name Integrity is also a nod to the extensive integrated effort — from the more than 300,000 spacecraft components to the thousands of people across the world — that must come together to venture to the Moon and back, inspire the world, and set course for a long-term presence at the Moon.” The crew’s goal for the mission is to help provide some “peace and hope for all humankind” by bringing together the world and an amazing workforce to achieve something extraordinary.
The Artemis 2 Mission Objectives
The Artemis 2 mission aims to send the first crewed spacecraft to the lunar neighborhood since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission will last about 10 Earth days and will involve a loop around the Moon. Although Artemis 2 won’t land on or orbit the Moon, it will pave the way for Artemis 3, which will put astronauts down near the Moon’s south pole in 2027, if all goes according to plan. The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent, sustainable human presence on and around the Moon and to use the lessons learned via this effort to send astronauts to Mars.
Some key highlights of the Artemis 2 mission include:
* The first crewed mission to the lunar neighborhood since Apollo 17 in 1972
* A 10-day journey around the Moon
* The spacecraft will be launched atop a Space Launch System rocket
* The mission will pave the way for Artemis 3, which will put astronauts down near the Moon’s south pole in 2027
* The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent, sustainable human presence on and around the Moon
The Crew’s Journey to Naming the Spacecraft
The Artemis 2 crew didn’t just pick “Integrity” out of a hat; arriving at the name was a long and drawn-out process, according to commander Reid Wiseman. The crew started with a lot of candidate monikers and worked their way through the NASA core values, the Canadian Space Agency core values, and the mission’s objectives. They considered what matters most to them and what they want the mission to represent. In the end, they determined that their chief goal for the mission is to help provide some “peace and hope for all humankind” by bringing together the world and an amazing workforce to achieve something extraordinary.
Tradition of Naming Spacecraft
It’s a tradition in the human spaceflight world for a new spacecraft to be named by the first astronauts to fly it. For example, a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule made its debut this past June on the private Ax-4 astronaut mission to the International Space Station, and the Ax-4 crew gave that Dragon its name: Grace. The naming of the spacecraft is a significant moment in the mission’s preparation, as it represents the crew’s identity and the values they will uphold during their journey.
Conclusion:
The naming of the Artemis 2 spacecraft “Integrity” marks a significant milestone in the mission’s preparation. The crew’s journey to naming the spacecraft was a collaborative and thoughtful process that reflects the values and objectives of the mission. As the Artemis 2 mission prepares to embark on its historic journey around the Moon, the name “Integrity” will serve as a reminder of the trust, respect, candor, and humility that the crew and thousands of engineers, technicians, scientists, planners, and dreamers have built to ensure the mission’s success.
Keywords:
* NASA
* Artemis 2
* Integrity
* Spacecraft
* Moon
* Lunar
* Astronauts
* Space Launch System
* Orion
* Canadian Space Agency
* Core values
* Trust
* Respect
* Candor
* Humility
* Peace
* Hope
* Humankind
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* #NASA
* #Spacecraft
* #Moon
* #Lunar
* #Astronauts
* #SpaceLaunchSystem
* #Orion
* #CanadianSpaceAgency
* #CoreValues
* #Trust
* #Respect
* #Candor
* #Humility
* #Peace
* #Hope
* #Humankind
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