NASA's Artemis II Astronauts Blaze Toward the Moon

Crew embarks on historic lunar flyby mission, breaking Apollo 13 distance record

Apr. 3, 2026 at 6:22pm

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A bold, abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and grays depicting the sweeping, geometric trajectory of the Artemis II spacecraft as it orbits the moon, conveying the precision and grandeur of this milestone mission.The Artemis II mission's historic lunar flyby will push the boundaries of human space exploration, charting a new course for future missions to the moon.Cape Canaveral Today

NASA's Artemis II astronauts successfully fired their engines and blazed toward the moon on Thursday night, breaking free of Earth's orbit and beginning their journey to the lunar surface. The crew of four - three Americans and one Canadian - will conduct a flyby of the moon before returning to Earth, marking the first time humans have traveled beyond Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a critical test flight for NASA's ambitious plans to establish a permanent human presence on the moon. This mission will pave the way for future Artemis missions that aim to land astronauts on the lunar surface, including the first woman and person of color. The successful launch and lunar flyby will be a major milestone in humanity's return to the moon.

The details

The engine firing that propelled the Artemis II crew toward the moon was flawless, according to NASA officials. The crew - Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - will travel 250,000 miles to the moon, breaking the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. During their lunar flyby, the astronauts will get unprecedented views of the moon's far side and even experience a total solar eclipse.

  • On April 3, 2026, the Artemis II crew launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  • 25 hours after liftoff, the crew fired their engines to break free of Earth's orbit and begin their journey to the moon.
  • The crew is expected to conduct their lunar flyby on April 10, 2026.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program, aeronautics, and space research.

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission, a veteran NASA astronaut who has previously flown on the International Space Station.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II mission, the first Black person to join the crew of a lunar mission.

Christina Koch

A member of the Artemis II crew, the first woman to participate in a lunar mission.

Jeremy Hansen

The Canadian astronaut on the Artemis II crew, the first non-U.S. citizen to travel to the moon.

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What they’re saying

“Humanity has once again shown what we are capable of, and it's your hopes for the future that carry us now on this journey around the moon.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II Astronaut

“Trust us, you look amazing. You look beautiful. And from up here you also look like one thing: homo sapiens as all of us no matter where you're from or what you look like, we're all one people.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II Astronaut

“I've got to tell you, there is nothing normal about this. Sending four humans 250,000 miles away is a herculean effort, and we are now just realizing the gravity of that.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Commander

What’s next

The Artemis II crew will conduct a lunar flyby on April 10, 2026, coming within 4,000 miles of the moon's surface before turning back toward Earth. This will provide the astronauts with unprecedented views of the lunar far side and a total solar eclipse.

The takeaway

The successful launch and lunar departure of the Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in humanity's return to the moon. This mission paves the way for future Artemis flights that aim to land astronauts on the lunar surface, including the first woman and person of color. The diversity of the Artemis II crew also represents the inclusive future of space exploration.