NASA’s Artemis II mission, which marks the first human spaceflight to the moon since 1972, will begin launch operations on April 1. The mission will lift off aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Artemis II, carrying four astronauts, is expected to launch on April 1 at 6:24 PM EDT.
NASA’s Artemis II mission has established backup launch windows that extend from daily through April 6 and include additional launch opportunities on April 30.
How can you watch NASA’s Artemis II?
NASA’s Artemis II mission will livestream the fueling process at 7:45 a.m. EDT/11:45 a.m. GMT. The entire countdown process starts at 12:50 PM EDT/5:50 PM GMT.
After the launch, press conferences will be held 2.5 hours after the launch. NASA’s Artemis II Mission livestream is available on NASA+, NASA’s website, YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime.
NASA’s Artemis II mission overview
The Orion spacecraft will use a free-return orbit to orbit the moon during NASA’s Artemis II mission.
The crew will evaluate all life support systems, along with navigation and communications systems and deep space systems, which are essential for upcoming lunar missions.
NASA’s Artemis II mission team consists of Commander Reid Wiseman and Pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
Koch will be the first woman to travel close to the moon, Glover the first person of color and Hansen the first non-American on a moon mission.
The mission ends with a landing in the Pacific Ocean. NASA’s Artemis II serves as a foundational test for the Artemis program, which aims to achieve its first manned lunar landing via Artemis 4 in 2028.
