SWOCC release - Coos Bay, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s STEAM Pathways program invites community members of all ages to join us February 5, 2026 from 5:00-8:00pm for “Back to the Moon!” Artemis II Mission Prep Event, a celebration of manned spaceflight's first mission to circle the moon in over 50 years.  Join us in the Umpqua Hall lecture room (room 184) on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay. This is a free event; all ages are welcome.  Artemis II is scheduled to launch on February 6th for 10-day manned mission to orbit the moon and safely return a new four-person crew to Earth. Along the way, the mission will lay important scientific and engineering groundwork to move our sustainable return to the moon forward. Our event will include discussions of the mission, current views of the launch site, and hands-on science activities for all ages.  Learn more about the Artemis II launch and what goes into the prep. Join us for an evening of lunar fun.  Watch the mission prep feed through a NASA TV broadcast from the launch site at Kennedy Space Center.  Learn about lunar cratering with a hands-on demonstration and activity with Dr. Win McLaughlin.  Launch rockets with chemistry faculty Derek Morrelli.  Make coffee filter moons and other lunar themed crafts with our steam pathways coordinator Cassie Coyner.  Build model lunar habitats with physics/engineering faculty Aaron Coyner.  This will be a fun, family-friendly event as we celebrate humanity’s return to the moon.  For more information on this or other STEAM Pathways events please contact Cassie Coyner, STEAM Pathways Assistant, at 541-888-7416, or [email protected].  To learn more about STEM degrees at Southwestern visit: https://www.socc.edu/programs-classes/stem/.