Top astronomy articles of 2026
The astronomical story of 2026 includes the return of a total solar eclipse with the Artemis II mission, which aims to return humans to the moon in the future.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Krispy Kreme is launching limited edition Artemis II donuts just in time to celebrate NASA’s “historic moment in space exploration.”
Ahead of the planned April 1st launch of Artemis II, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based chain announced the debut of a specialty donut that will be sold from March 31st to April 2nd at Krispy Kreme stores nationwide.
“The dream of enjoying a Krispy Kreme donut on the moon is about to take a big step forward, and we’re fully committed to it,” according to the chain’s March 27 news release.
Artemis II donuts are the brand’s original glazed donuts with a “bold new look” inspired by upcoming NASA missions. To create the new look, the donuts are dipped in blue vanilla-flavored icing, sprinkled with a mix of Oreo Crunch and white nonpareils, and topped with cookies-and-cream-flavored buttercream and a red chevron inspired by the NASA logo, according to Krispy Kreme.
“Big moments bring people together, and nothing is bigger than humanity’s return to deep space,” Alison Holder, Krispy Kreme’s chief brand and product officer, said in a statement. “We gave the iconic Original Glazed® donut a mission-worthy makeover so fans can celebrate Artemis II in a fun and delicious way with history.”
How to purchase Krispy Kreme’s Artemis II donuts
Artemis II donuts will be available at participating Krispy Kreme locations nationwide from March 31st to April 2nd.
This limited edition donut will also be offered as part of the Artemis II Specialty Dozen, which features six Artemis II donuts and six Original Glazed donuts. This is because “every historic launch has a classic on-board value,” the brand says.
Krispy Kreme also touted its “history of helping Americans celebrate humanity’s great achievements in space exploration and other space-related events,” recalling how the brand served fresh, original glazed donuts during NASA’s Apollo 11 launch in 1969 and during NASA’s Perseverance Rover Mars Landing Celebration in 2021. In 2022, the brand also commemorated NASA’s Artemis I mission. Artemis Moon Donuts has served donuts during numerous supermoons and total solar eclipses over the years.
The price for a single Artemis II Donut or Artemis II Specialty Dozen is unknown. USA TODAY contacted Krispy Kreme on March 28 but did not receive a response.
When will Artemis II be released?
The Artemis II launch will be NASA’s first crewed mission using a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.
During the mission, four astronauts (three Americans and one Canadian) will spend about 10 days in deep space, making sure all the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with the crew on board. The test flight is intended to provide critical performance data and operational experience for future Artemis missions, including landing American astronauts on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
The scheduled launch will take place at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
