NASA has rescheduled the Artemis II mission, the first crewed trip to the moon since 1972, for an April liftoff from Florida. The 10-day flight will carry four astronauts on a lunar flyby without landing, testing key systems for future missions. Commander Reid Wiseman leads the crew, which includes the first Canadian astronaut to venture to the moon.
The Artemis II mission marks a significant step in NASA's efforts to return humans to the moon after more than five decades. Originally planned for February, the launch was delayed following a rocket fueling test, with March dates also scrapped. The new window spans April 1 to 6 or April 30, targeting an evening liftoff from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The crew consists of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch—all Americans—and Jeremy Hansen from Canada, who will become the first Canadian to travel to the moon. The Space Launch System rocket, generating over 8.8 million pounds of thrust, will propel the Orion spacecraft into space.
The mission timeline begins with liftoff, followed by separation from the lower stage about eight minutes later. The spacecraft will enter Earth orbit for initial testing of life support and communications systems on days 1 and 2. A translunar injection burn will then send Orion toward the moon, covering over 225,000 miles in days 3 to 5, during which the crew will conduct tests and procedures.
On day 6, the astronauts will fly around the moon's far side, potentially breaking the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles from Earth. Communication with Earth will be lost briefly as they photograph the lunar surface. The return journey spans days 7 to 9, culminating in day 10 with reentry at speeds generating up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Parachutes will deploy for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, with recovery by the US Navy about two hours later.
This flight builds toward Artemis III in 2027, which will test docking in Earth orbit, and Artemis IV in early 2028, featuring the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17. SpaceX is developing the lunar lander, while Axiom Space works on the spacesuits.
NASA will stream the launch on its YouTube channel, NASA Plus app, social media, and Twitch, with possible coverage on Netflix.
