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Titusville Today
By the People, for the People
NASA's Artemis II Moon Launch Set for Wednesday
The first crewed mission around the moon in over 50 years will be livestreamed online.
Apr. 1, 2026 at 3:20pm
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NASA's highly anticipated Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flight since the Apollo era, is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The two-hour launch window opens at 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time, and the mission will be livestreamed extensively online for the public to watch.
Why it matters
Artemis II marks a major milestone in NASA's ambitious Artemis program to return humans to the moon. This mission will pave the way for future Artemis flights that aim to establish a long-term human presence on and around the lunar surface, a critical step towards future deep space exploration.
The details
The Artemis II spacecraft, an Orion crew capsule atop a Space Launch System rocket, will lift off from Launch Pad 39B and embark on a multi-day journey around the moon. NASA will provide live coverage of the launch countdown, liftoff, and key mission events on its YouTube channel and NASA+ streaming service. The agency also plans to host live conversations with the Artemis II crew throughout the mission.
- The Artemis II launch window opens at 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
- NASA will begin loading propellant for the Space Launch System rocket on Wednesday morning.
- The launch countdown is scheduled to start at 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time on launch day.
- Around 2.5 hours after liftoff, NASA will host a news conference about the mission's progress.
- The first live crew downlink is planned for 10:24 p.m. Eastern Time on April 2, 2026.
The players
NASA
The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal agency responsible for the country's civilian space program, aeronautics research, and space exploration.
Artemis II
The second mission in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era.
Orion
The crew capsule that will carry astronauts on the Artemis II mission around the moon.
Space Launch System
The powerful rocket that will launch the Artemis II mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
What they’re saying
“The Artemis II mission is a critical step towards NASA's goal of establishing a long-term human presence on and around the moon.”
— Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator
What’s next
After the successful completion of the Artemis II mission, NASA plans to launch the Artemis III mission, which will land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo program.
The takeaway
The Artemis II mission represents a major milestone in humanity's return to the moon, paving the way for future crewed lunar exploration and the establishment of a sustainable presence on the lunar surface.
