NASA Readies for Historic Artemis II Moon Mission Launch

Four astronauts, including a Southern California native, prepare for the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 5:13pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

NASA is set to launch the Artemis II mission on Wednesday, marking the first time since 1972 that astronauts will travel to the moon. The mission will send four crew members, including Victor Glover from Southern California, on a 10-day journey that will see them fly past the lunar surface without landing. NASA is providing extensive live coverage of the launch, lunar flyby, and splashdown off the coast of San Diego.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a critical step in NASA's long-term plan to return humans to the lunar surface. It will test all the equipment and procedures needed for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a permanent human presence on the moon and use it as a stepping stone for future Mars exploration.

The details

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch at 3:24 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The launch window is open for two hours, until 5:24 PM. If weather or technical issues prevent the launch on Wednesday, NASA has backup windows available through April 6. Once launched, the crew capsule will fly past the moon without landing, before splashing down off the coast of San Diego around 10 days later. This mission will mark the first time a Black person, a woman, and a non-American have traveled around the moon.

  • The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch at 3:24 PM Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
  • The launch window is open for two hours, until 5:24 PM Pacific Time on April 1, 2026.
  • If weather or technical issues prevent the launch on April 1, NASA has backup windows available through April 6, 2026.
  • The crew capsule is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego around 10 days after launch.

The players

Victor Glover

A Southern California native who is one of the four astronauts selected for the Artemis II mission.

NASA

The United States space agency that is overseeing the Artemis program and the Artemis II mission to send astronauts around the moon.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

If the Artemis II mission is successful, NASA plans to launch Artemis III in 2027 to test docking procedures with lunar landers, and then Artemis IV in 2028 to land astronauts on the lunar surface.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in NASA's ambitious plan to return humans to the moon and establish a permanent lunar presence. This mission will test critical equipment and procedures ahead of future Artemis missions that aim to land astronauts on the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.