The Space Launch System is the most powerful rocket ever built — more powerful than the Saturn V that took Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Also, it stands 98 metres tall (taller than the Statue of Liberty by 20 metres) and generates 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Furthermore, it burns 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant — liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen at -253°C. Also, it is the only rocket on Earth that can send the Orion crew capsule, astronauts, and cargo to the Moon in a single launch without refuelling in orbit. This is the second flight of SLS; the first was the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022.

The Orion crew module is where the four astronauts live during the mission. Also, it has life support systems, communication equipment, navigation computers, and emergency escape systems — all being tested with humans aboard for the first time. Furthermore, the crew named their Orion spacecraft "Integrity" — a nod to the principle that guided their training. Also, Orion will travel approximately 7,600 km beyond the far side of the Moon — farther from Earth than any human has ever been, breaking the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. Furthermore, re-entry into Earth's atmosphere will be at 25,000 miles per hour — one of the fastest atmospheric re-entries ever by a crewed spacecraft.

The mission uses a free-return trajectory — a carefully calculated flight path where the Moon's gravity does the work of turning the spacecraft around and sending it back to Earth, requiring minimal fuel. Also, the crew will orbit Earth briefly, then a burn of the upper stage propels them toward the Moon. Furthermore, they will fly around the far side of the Moon — a region never seen directly from Earth — and return to Earth for ocean splashdown approximately 10 days after launch. Also, the mission is primarily a systems test: proving life support, navigation, communication, and re-entry systems work with humans before the actual Moon landing (Artemis IV, planned for 2028).

Artemis II (now): Crew test of Orion — no Moon landing
Artemis III (2027): Lunar lander testing in Earth orbit — no crew on Moon yet
Artemis IV (2028): First Moon landing since 1972 — first woman and first person of colour to land on the Moon
Lunar Gateway (2027+): International space station in lunar orbit
Mars (2040s): Long-term goal of the Artemis programme

Also, the Lunar Gateway includes modules from NASA, ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and the Canadian Space Agency — but notably, no ISRO module yet. Furthermore, this is an opportunity India could still claim.

Mission commander. Navy test pilot. Previously spent 165 days on the International Space Station. Also, NASA's Chief of the Astronaut Office before being selected for Artemis II. The crew named their spacecraft "Integrity" on his suggestion — it encapsulates how he led training over four years.

Navy fighter pilot and test pilot. Previously served as pilot on SpaceX Crew Dragon to the ISS in 2020. Also, Victor Glover becomes the first person of colour in human history to travel toward the Moon. Furthermore, he is the youngest Artemis II crew member at 47. The crew's mission patch "A II" is designed to look like the word "All" — Glover's idea to signify that this mission belongs to everyone.

Electrical engineer. Holds the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days). Also, performed the first all-woman spacewalk with Jessica Meir in 2019. Furthermore, Christina Koch becomes the first woman in human history to travel toward the Moon — a record that has stood for 54 years since Apollo 17. Her spaceflight endurance record directly informs how Artemis prepares for longer lunar missions.

Canadian Space Agency astronaut. Fighter pilot and spacecraft capcom (voice of mission control to astronauts). Also, Jeremy Hansen becomes the first non-American to travel toward the Moon. Furthermore, Artemis II is his first spaceflight — making him one of very few people in history to skip the ISS and go straight toward the Moon on their debut mission. Also, his inclusion signals that the Artemis programme is genuinely international — a message that matters for ISRO's own aspirations for future collaboration.

India's Chandrayaan-3 became the first spacecraft in history to land at the Moon's south pole in August 2023 — a scientific achievement no other country had managed, including the United States. Also, the south pole is exactly where Artemis IV (the crewed Moon landing in 2028) plans to land — because of water ice deposits that ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-3 helped confirm. Furthermore, ISRO's Pragyan rover data from the south pole is directly informing NASA's Artemis landing site selection. Also, this means India's space science work is shaping the most expensive and ambitious space programme in human history right now. India is not watching from the sidelines — Indian science is on the Moon.

ISRO's Gaganyaan programme will send Indian astronauts (called Gaganyatris) to space on India's own rocket in 2027 — making India the fourth country in history to independently launch humans to space (after Russia, the USA, and China). Also, four Indian Air Force pilots are deep in training right now as the candidate Gaganyatris. Furthermore, the mission profile: three-day crewed orbital mission at 400 km altitude aboard the GSLV Mk III rocket with a crew of three. Also, Artemis II succeeding validates the crewed spacecraft design principles that Gaganyaan is also built upon. Furthermore, watching Artemis II this week is watching the technology that India's own space programme will soon replicate independently.

ISRO is planning Chandrayaan-4 as a lunar sample return mission — a spacecraft that will land on the Moon, collect samples, and bring them back to Earth. Also, this is technically more complex than Chandrayaan-3's landing. Furthermore, Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) will be a joint mission with JAXA (Japan) to explore the lunar south pole's permanently shadowed regions. Also, India is also planning a Venus Orbiter Mission and preparing for the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) — a heavy-lift rocket that would make India capable of launching significantly larger payloads. These missions require thousands of engineers, scientists, mission controllers, and support professionals.

India's Space Vision 2047 includes establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (India's own space station) by 2035 and undertaking a crewed lunar mission by 2040. Also, this is not distant ambition — the engineering and design work for these missions is underway now. Furthermore, the students entering ISRO and space-tech companies today will be the senior engineers and scientists running these missions in 2035 and 2040. Also, India's autonomous satellite docking demonstration (SpaDeX) in late 2025 — where India became only the fourth nation to perform this capability — is a direct building block for the space station. This is a historic moment to enter the space sector.

Founded by former ISRO scientists from Hyderabad. Built Vikram-S (India's first private sub-orbital rocket, launched 2022) and is preparing Vikram-I for its first orbital flight in 2026. Also, uses all-carbon-fibre body and 3D-printed rocket engines — the same technology SpaceX pioneered. Furthermore, Skyroot's Infinity Campus in Hyderabad is now hiring engineers across propulsion, avionics, structures, mission operations, and software. Also, the company specifically recruits young engineers straight from college — "we grew up watching PSLV launches on Doordarshan. Today we are building the next chapter ourselves" said a Skyroot engineer in November 2025.

IIT Madras-incubated startup. Built Agnibaan — the world's first rocket powered entirely by a 3D-printed semi-cryogenic engine. Also, launched from India's first private launch pad at Sriharikota in 2024. Furthermore, Agnikul's Agnibaan SOrTeD sub-orbital test vehicle flew successfully in 2024 — the first Indian private company to do so. Also, now preparing orbital missions and signing launch contracts with international customers. Hiring across propulsion engineering, avionics, test engineering, and mission analysis — most positions open to recent IIT/NIT/engineering college graduates.

Bangalore-based satellite startup funded by Google (Alphabet, ₹307 crore investment). Building a constellation of hyperspectral Earth observation satellites that can detect crop diseases, monitor oil spills, and track climate change with unprecedented detail. Also, Pixxel satellites can see what normal cameras cannot — mapping soil moisture, plant health, and mineral deposits at a level that agricultural, mining, and environmental companies pay premium rates for. Furthermore, hiring in satellite design, image processing, machine learning, cloud computing, and business development. Also, this is one of the best-funded Indian space startups for non-technical roles too.

Raised ₹450 crore in Series B funding. Building systems to track the growing problem of space debris — with 27,000+ pieces of debris in orbit, every satellite launch needs accurate space traffic management. Also, Digantara is transitioning to a vertically integrated satellite systems company and expanding into US and European markets. Furthermore, CEO Anirudh Sharma said they plan aggressive hiring across engineering, operations, and business development. Also, roles span satellite design, software, data science, orbital mechanics, and international sales — one of the fastest-growing Indian space companies hiring right now.

Dhruva Space: satellite platforms, launch solutions, and ground station services — hiring in satellite engineering and operations. Bellatrix Aerospace: electric propulsion systems for satellites (Hall-effect thrusters) — hiring propulsion and electrical engineers. SatSure: satellite data analytics for agriculture and infrastructure — hiring in computer vision, machine learning, and optical engineering. Also, Garuda Aerospace, Astrome Technologies, and GalaxEye are among the other funded startups hiring aggressively. Furthermore, with 225 space-tech startups in India according to Tracxn (78 funded, 19 with Series A+ funding), the range of opportunities spans from deep hardware to data science and business roles.

ISRO's own mission work is supported by over 500 private Indian companies manufacturing components, systems, and sub-assemblies. Also, companies like L&T, Walchandnagar Industries, Godrej Aerospace, and Bharat Dynamics work directly on ISRO missions. Furthermore, joining any of these established companies means your daily engineering work is contributing to ISRO missions — even without an ISRO badge. Also, NSIL (NewSpace India Limited) is the commercial arm of ISRO that manages commercial launch contracts and is transferring commercial launches to private companies — creating further industry opportunities.