Watch Artemis II launch sending astronauts to the moon

April 2, 2026 - 11:06

NASA has successfully launched the Artemis II mission, a pivotal ten-day journey that marks the return of human exploration to the Moon's vicinity for the first time in over half a century. The mission carries a crew of four astronauts who will venture farther from Earth than any humans have traveled before.

The crew will orbit Earth once to thoroughly check all systems aboard the Orion spacecraft before its powerful engines commit to the multi-day journey toward the Moon. The highlight of the mission will be a close lunar flyby, taking the astronauts around the far side of the Moon and approximately 6,400 miles beyond its far side—a distance marking a new human record.

This critical test flight does not include a lunar landing but is designed to rigorously validate the spacecraft's life support, communication, and navigation systems with a crew on board. The data and experience gained from Artemis II are foundational for the planned Artemis III mission, which aims to land astronauts, including the first woman and first person of color, on the lunar surface. The success of this mission represents a monumental leap in establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and paving the way for future expeditions to Mars.