Artemis II: Astronauts Begin Historic Journey to the Moon
NASA launched the Artemis II mission from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, sending four astronauts on a flyby around the Moon.
The mission, which utilized the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, lifted off at 22:35:12 UTC. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. This flight marks the first time in 50 years that a crewed mission has been directed toward the Moon, serving as a critical test of deep space systems intended to support future lunar landings and eventual missions to Mars.
Transit and Earth Orbit Departure
On the second day of the mission, the Orion spacecraft completed the Translunar Injection (TLI) burn. This maneuver propelled the crew out of Earth’s orbit and onto a trajectory toward the Moon, marking the first time humans have left Earth’s immediate orbital environment in over five decades. Following the burn, the crew confirmed their status to mission control in Houston, signaling the start of their journey into deep space.
By the third day of the flight, the crew reported a comfortable journey and transmitted a greeting to Earth. According to mission updates, the astronauts began preparations for their first trajectory correction burn and readied themselves to receive specific lunar observation assignments as they moved further from the planet.
Mission Objectives and Spacecraft Capabilities
The Artemis II mission is designed as a 10-day flight that will take the crew to a planned distance of 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers) from the lunar surface. Unlike previous Artemis flights, this mission is crewed to demonstrate the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft, specifically the CM-003 Integrity and the ESM-2 European Service Module, to sustain human life in deep space.
The Orion spacecraft is developed to serve as the primary exploration vehicle for the Artemis program, providing the necessary life support and safety systems to return the crew safely to Earth after their lunar flyby. This test flight builds upon the data gathered during the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022.
Landing Schedule
The mission is currently in progress, with the crew continuing their transit toward the Moon. NASA has scheduled the return and landing of the Orion spacecraft for no earlier than April 11, 2026, at 00:21 UTC. The planned landing site is the Pacific Ocean.