NASA Clears Artemis Moon Rocket for April Launch with Four Astronauts

The 322-foot rocket will roll out to the launch pad next week after repairs were completed.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:21pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

NASA has cleared its Artemis moon rocket for an April launch with four astronauts, following the completion of the latest round of repairs. The 322-foot rocket will roll out to the launch pad at Florida's Kennedy Space Center next week, leading to a launch attempt as early as April 1. This will mark humanity's first trip to the moon in more than 50 years.

Why it matters

The Artemis program is a critical step in NASA's plans to return humans to the lunar surface. This launch will be the first crewed mission of the Artemis program, paving the way for future lunar landings and exploration.

The details

The Artemis II crew was originally scheduled to launch on a lunar flyaround earlier this year, but fuel leaks and other issues with the Space Launch System rocket interfered. NASA managed to plug the hydrogen fuel leaks at the pad in February, but a helium-flow issue forced the space agency to return the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs, delaying the mission to April.

  • The Artemis II crew was originally scheduled to launch earlier this year.
  • NASA completed repairs to the rocket in February 2026.
  • The 322-foot rocket will roll out to the launch pad next week.
  • The launch attempt is scheduled for as early as April 1, 2026.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

Jared Isaacman

NASA's new administrator, who recently announced a major overhaul of the Artemis program to increase the pace and frequency of lunar missions.

Elon Musk

The founder and CEO of SpaceX, which has been contracted by NASA to provide the moon landers for astronauts.

Jeff Bezos

The founder of Blue Origin, which has also been contracted by NASA to provide moon landers for astronauts.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The Artemis II crew is scheduled to launch on a lunar flyaround as early as April 1, 2026. NASA has only a handful of days in early April to launch before standing down until April 30 into early May.

The takeaway

The Artemis II launch represents a significant milestone in NASA's plans to return humans to the lunar surface. This mission will pave the way for future Artemis missions, including the goal of landing astronauts on the moon's south pole by 2028.