NASA launches Artemis II today, sending four astronauts around the moon for the first time in 53 years. If successful, it marks the first step toward establishing a permanent lunar base, mining helium-3, building a far-side radio telescope, and testing technologies for eventual Mars missions—all while competing with China to shape the future of space commerce. Artemis II is a critical test of life support systems with human crews, requiring astronauts to survive 10 days in a capsule the size of two minivans to validate technology before landing attempts in coming years. The moon mission serves multiple strategic purposes: establishing a research station similar to Antarctica's, mining helium-3 worth $3 million per pound for fusion reactors and quantum computers, and testing Mars-bound technologies.