Artemis II Launches Successfully, Marking First Crewed Lunar Mission in Over 50 Years

NASA's Artemis II mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 p.m. EDT. The mission carries four astronauts—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. This marks the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972. The crew will travel farther from Earth than any previous human spaceflight, reaching approximately 4,144 miles beyond the Moon's far side. The mission aims to test the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems and lay the groundwork for future lunar exploration. The launch proceeded smoothly, with no major technical issues reported. Weather conditions were favorable, with an 80% chance of favorable conditions at liftoff. The Artemis II mission is a significant step in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence by the end of the decade.