NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission Set to Launch from Cape Canaveral

The first crewed lunar flight since 1972 will send four astronauts on a quick out-and-back journey around the moon.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 8:34am

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NASA's Artemis II mission is set to launch on Wednesday, sending four astronauts on a lunar flyby that will take them thousands of miles beyond the moon before they return to Earth. The diverse crew includes the first woman, first person of color, and first non-American to travel to the moon. The mission will use NASA's powerful new Space Launch System rocket to propel the Orion capsule on a free-return trajectory around the moon, allowing the astronauts to capture never-before-seen views of the lunar far side.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks a significant milestone in humanity's return to the moon, paving the way for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. The mission's diverse crew and the new capabilities of the Space Launch System rocket represent major advancements in space exploration.

The details

After liftoff, the four-person crew will spend the first 25 hours circling the Earth in a high, lopsided orbit, using the separated upper stage as a target for docking practice. The Orion capsule's main engine will then propel the crew to the moon, where they will fly about 5,000 miles beyond the lunar surface at their farthest point, setting a new distance record for human spaceflight. The astronauts will capture extensive imagery of the lunar far side, an area that has only been observed by robotic spacecraft. After the flyby, the crew will return to Earth, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.

  • The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, April 3, 2026.
  • The crew will reach their farthest point from Earth, about 5,000 miles beyond the moon, on flight day six.
  • The mission will last a total of 9 days, 1 hour, and 46 minutes, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on flight day 10.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission, a retired Navy captain who lived aboard the International Space Station in 2014 and later headed NASA's astronaut corps.

Victor Glover

A Navy test pilot who was the first Black astronaut to live and work aboard the space station in 2020 and 2021, and one of the first astronauts to launch with SpaceX.

Christina Koch

An astronaut who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, and participated in the first all-female spacewalk during her 328-day mission at the International Space Station in 2019 and 2020.

Jeremy Hansen

A former fighter pilot from the Canadian Space Agency, the lone space rookie on the Artemis II crew.

Kelsey Young

A NASA geologist who will monitor the Artemis II lunar flyby from Mission Control in Houston.

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What they’re saying

“The moon is like such a unifying thing. What we're doing with this mission is going to bring that a little closer to everybody around the world.”

— Kelsey Young, NASA geologist

“Sometimes simple stuff is the best.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II mission commander

What’s next

After the successful Artemis II mission, NASA plans to launch the Artemis III mission, which will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a significant milestone in humanity's return to the moon, with a diverse crew of astronauts set to push the boundaries of human spaceflight. The mission's success will pave the way for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface, a goal that has eluded us since the Apollo era.