NASA Artemis II Moon Launch | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Launch | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist, onboard launches on the Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II mission will take Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard their Orion spacecraft. The quartet launched at 6:35 p.m. EDT, from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. 

Powering Orion on this historic voyage is the second European Service Module (ESM). It is responsible for life support for the astronauts, as well as power generation and propulsion. Its four solar arrays, each stretching seven meters, give electricity to the spacecraft, while its systems provide air, water, and a comfortable temperature for the astronauts. 

Watch Artemis II flight coverage on:

NASA+: https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-events/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nasa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NASA/

X: https://x.com/nasa

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nasa

Check for updates on the Artemis blog: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

NASA Artemis II Mission page:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Image Credits: NASA/Keegan Barber, European Space Agency-S. Corvaja
Date: April 1, 2026

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