Artemis 2 Set to Launch Astronauts to the Moon

NASA's historic crewed mission to the Moon is scheduled for April 1 launch

Mar. 30, 2026 at 6:53pm

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A bold, abstract painting in the style of Hilma af Klint, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals in earthy tones of brown, green, and blue, representing the complex forces and concepts of the Artemis 2 mission to the Moon.Artemis 2's historic journey to the Moon will test critical systems and pave the way for future crewed lunar exploration.Cape Canaveral Today

NASA is targeting April 1 for the launch of Artemis 2, the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. The Orion spacecraft will carry four astronauts, including the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the lunar farside. The primary goal is to test Orion's life-support systems with humans aboard for the first time.

Why it matters

Artemis 2 marks a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon. This mission will pave the way for future Artemis landings and help advance our understanding of the lunar environment.

The details

Lifting off atop the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the Orion spacecraft will carry Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen on a free-return trajectory around the Moon. If successful, the crew will break the record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth, set by Apollo 13. During the mission, the astronauts will conduct health research, photograph the lunar farside, and deploy several international CubeSats.

  • NASA is targeting no earlier than 6:24 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 1 for the Artemis 2 launch.
  • The mission is expected to last approximately 10 days, with splashdown targeted for around 8:06 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 10.

The players

Artemis 2

NASA's first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years, part of the agency's Artemis program to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon.

Reid Wiseman

Commander of the Artemis 2 mission.

Victor Glover

Pilot of the Artemis 2 mission.

Christina Koch

Mission Specialist on the Artemis 2 mission.

Jeremy Hansen

Mission Specialist from the Canadian Space Agency on the Artemis 2 mission.

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What’s next

If the Artemis 2 mission is successful, it will pave the way for future Artemis Moon landings, including the planned Artemis 3 mission that aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface.

The takeaway

The Artemis 2 mission represents a major milestone in humanity's return to the Moon, testing critical systems and capabilities that will enable future crewed lunar exploration and the establishment of a sustainable presence on and around the Moon.