NASA's Artemis II Prepares for Crewed Moon Mission

The four-person crew is set to launch on a 10-day trip to the Moon, the first crewed flight in over 50 years.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 3:08pm

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NASA's Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch on Wednesday evening from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The four-person crew, including Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover, are preparing for liftoff at 6:24 p.m. EDT. This will be the first crewed flight to the Moon in over 50 years and the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon. This crewed flight will pave the way for future Artemis missions, including the planned landing of the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface.

The details

The Artemis II rocket is fully fueled and ready for launch. NASA's only concern is the weather, which is currently expected to be suitable for launch. However, wind is a potential issue, and the launch weather officer is closely monitoring the conditions. The 10-day mission will be the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans, surpassing the previous record set during the Apollo program.

  • Artemis II is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 6:24 p.m. EDT.
  • The launch window will remain open until April 6, 2026 in case of any delays.

The players

Artemis II

NASA's second mission in the Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon.

Jeremy Hansen

Mission Specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Christina Koch

Mission Specialist on the Artemis II crew.

Reid Wiseman

Commander of the Artemis II crew.

Victor Glover

Pilot of the Artemis II crew.

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What they’re saying

“Everything is going very well right now.”

— Jeremy Graeber, Artemis Assistant Launch Director

“NASA is doing real-time monitoring via multiple methods.”

— Mark Burger, Launch Weather Officer

What’s next

If the launch is delayed, there will be more launch opportunities through April 6, 2026.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission represents a significant step forward in NASA's plans to return humans to the Moon, paving the way for future Artemis missions that aim to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the lunar surface.