PC: NASA
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.
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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.
