Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Jan 24: As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its Independence in 2026, NASA’s Artemis II mission will carry a collection of historic tokens into lunar orbit, celebrating milestones in aviation, space exploration and international cooperation.

NASA has confirmed that an official flight kit aboard the Orion spacecraft will include artefacts representing key moments in US and global space history. The items have been selected by NASA and its international partners and will travel as part of the world’s first crewed Artemis mission.

Among the artefacts is a muslin fabric swatch from the 1903 Wright Flyer, loaned by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. Also included are a US flag that flew on both the first and final Space Shuttle missions, and a symbolic Apollo 18 mission flag. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has contributed a 4-by-5-inch photo negative from Ranger 7, the first US spacecraft to successfully reach the Moon’s surface.

The Artemis II flight kit also reflects strong international collaboration. Soil from “Moon Trees” grown from seeds flown during Artemis I at various NASA centres will be carried aboard the mission. The Canadian Space Agency has contributed seeds, while mission patches, pins and flags from both the Canadian Space Agency and the European Space Agency are also part of the package.

In addition, NASA has included an SD card containing names submitted by the public through its “Send Your Name” campaign, symbolising global participation in the mission. The complete flight package weighs approximately 10 pounds.

Artemis II will be the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis programme, marking a major step toward returning humans to the Moon and laying the foundation for future exploration beyond.