Recently, the Artemis II astronauts — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — held a press conference about their upcoming circumlunar mission. Wiseman, Glover and Koch are NASA veterans. Hansen is a Canadian astronaut for whom Artemis II is his first space flight.

The press conference had two main takeaways: Artemis II has a name and a date.

After a great deal of consideration, the crew has decided to name their Orion spacecraft the Integrity. According to Merriam Webster, Integrity means a “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.”

It may lack the heroic meaning of words like “Intrepid” or “Dauntless,” but in a world where moral values are often lacking, it will do for the greatest voyage of exploration so far in the 21st century.

Also, Artemis II has a date: no sooner than Feb. 5, 2026. It provides a sense of certainty to an undertaking that has been talked about for decades. At long last, a voyage around the moon is actually going to happen.

The voyage of Artemis II, whether it takes place in early February or later, should become one of the seminal events of the early 21st........

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