NASA’s Historic Artemis II Mission a Go

(Cape Canaveral, Florida) NASA’s historic Artemis II mission commenced this evening when the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT (Apr. 1), sending four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a planned test flight around the Moon and back.

Image of NASA’s SLS rocket taking off as NASA’s Artemis II mission commenced this evening from the agency’s Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 6.35pm EDT courtesy of spaceflight photographer Michael Cain and The FLY Report.

Artemis II marks the first time astronauts will return to the vicinity of the moon in more than 50 years; the last time humans walked not he Moon was during NASA’s Apollo 17 mission, which landed on December 11, 1972.

The mission crew includes NASA’s Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman along with the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen. The four astronauts’ voyage will be comprised of a 10-day mission to circumnavigate the moon.

As the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis program, the flight will demonstrate life support systems for the first time with crew and lay the foundation for an enduring presence on the Moon ahead of future missions to Mars, among other objectives, according to NASA.

“Today’s launch marks a defining moment for our nation and for all who believe in exploration,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Artemis II builds on the vision set by President Donald J. Trump, returning humanity to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years and opening the next chapter of lunar exploration beyond Apollo. Aboard Orion are four remarkable explorers preparing for the first crewed flight of this rocket and spacecraft, a true test mission that will carry them farther and faster than any humans in a generation. Artemis II is the start of something bigger than any one mission. It marks our return to the Moon, not just to visit, but to eventually stay on our Moon Base, and lays the foundation for the next giant leaps ahead.”

Image of NASA's SLS Rocket in-flight post-takeoff after the launch of the agency's Artemis II mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 6.35pm ET today (April 1, 2026), courtesy of Michael Cain and The FLY Report.

Image of NASA's SLS Rocket in-flight post-takeoff after the launch of the agency's Artemis II mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 6.35pm ET today (April 1, 2026), courtesy of Michael Cain and The FLY Report.

Image of NASA's SLS Rocket in-flight post-takeoff - pictured behind both an American flag and an Artemis flag - after the launch of the agency's Artemis II mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 6.35pm ET today (April 1, 2026), courtesy of Michael Cain and The FLY Report.

The first mission of NASA’s five-stage Artemis program, Artemis I – an unscrewed lunar flight test – launched on November 16, 2022 and lasted just over 25 days. As for the forthcoming Artemis III, IV and V, per NASA:

• Artemis III: Scheduled for 2027, the demonstration mission in low Earth orbit (LEO) will test one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin, respectively. 
• Artemis IV: NASA continues to target early 2028 for the first Artemis lunar landing; the date has remained unchanged since mid‑2025. After reaching lunar orbit, the crew will transfer from Orion to a commercial lunar lander for their descent to the Moon’s surface.
• Artemis V: Using the standard SLS (Space Launch System) rocket configuration, NASA expects to launch this lunar surface mission by late 2028, with subsequent missions planned roughly once per year.