NASA's Artemis II Launches First Crewed Lunar Mission in Over 50 Years
NASA's Artemis II mission successfully launched four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby, marking the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972.
NASA's Artemis II mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 p.m. EDT, marking the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years. The 10-day mission features a diverse four-member crew: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). This mission includes the first woman, the first person of color, and the first non-U.S. citizen to participate in a lunar voyage.
The crew will conduct a lunar flyby aboard the Orion spacecraft, powered by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, without landing on the Moon. This mission serves as a critical test of life-support systems and spacecraft performance, paving the way for future lunar landings.
Prior to launch, the Artemis II crew entered quarantine to ensure their health leading up to the mission.
Artemis II is a significant milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable lunar presence and prepare for future missions to Mars. The mission is expected to capture unprecedented images of the Moon's dark side and lay the groundwork for future Artemis missions aimed at establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon.
