NASA’s Artemis II mission will allow humanity to return to the lunar frontier as we near the end of decades-long silence (since the Apollo era). Launching from Kennedy Space Centre on April 1, 2026, this historic mission will be the first crewed Luna flight in more than 50 years; it will be a long-duration (10-day) crewed Artemis II mission aboard the Orion spacecraft, flown by a multinational crew of four astronauts. Two of the astronauts will be the first woman and the first astronaut of colour to fly to the moon. During this high-risk Artemis II crewed lunar flight, the SLS will be tested in terms of its capabilities and reliability; those evaluations will serve as the basis for determining if Artemis III can land on the moon. In addition to the operations that must occur in advance of a potential Artemis III lunar landing, Artemis II represents a bold step toward establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and, ultimately, exploring Mars.
Aim for a 10-day mission of Artemis II
This mission will not land on the Moon, but will perform a mission to test the viability of deep space systems. Following launch from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Centre, the flight crew will:Earth Orbit Operations: The first 24 hours will be spent in a high-orbit position (about 230 miles), where life support and communication systems can be tested.Lunar Flyby: Then perform a free-return mission that will take the spacecraft around the far side of the Moon, where it will be approximately 248,655 miles from Earth, breaking the record set by Apollo 13.Splashdown: Finally, the total distance travelled will be approximately 685,000 miles and will end with a high-velocity re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, estimated to occur around April 10, 2026.
Artemis II: Launch schedule and key timings
It has been officially announced by NASA that Artemis II will launch from Kennedy Space Centre on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The two-hour launch window opens at 6:24 PM EDT (22:24 UTC). Daily backup launches are planned through April 6, but only if problems arise with the weather or other technical difficulties.
Various NASA platforms will provide live coverage of the event:
- NASA+ and NASA TV: Extensive coverage without advertisements starts at 12:50 PM EDT on April 1.
- YouTube: NASA will provide a live stream 24/7 on its YouTube channel featuring both a live view of the Orion spacecraft and a live commentary from mission control.
- Social Media: NASA will post real-time updates and highlights on NASA’s X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram pages.
Historic crew and their roles for Artemis II
This effort ushers in a new era of diversity by sending four astronauts into outer space together for the very first time. The four-person crew will consist of:
- Commanding Officer, Reid Wiseman, who will be responsible for the first manned lunar flight in over fifty years.
- Pilot Victor Glover, who will be the pilot of record and the first person of colour to fly to the moon.
- Mission Specialist, Christina Koch, will be the first woman to fly to the moon.
- Mission Specialist, Jeremy Hansen, as mission engineer representing the Canadian Space Agency, will be the first Canadian and non-American to go to the moon.