NASA’s Artemis II Blasts Off: Humans Head Back Toward the Moon for the First Time in Over 50 YearsKennedy Space Center, Florida – April 1, 2026
- Lynn Matthews
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
NASA made history this evening as the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off from Launch Pad 39B at 6:35 p.m. EDT, carrying four astronauts on the Artemis II mission—the first crewed journey beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
4, 3, 2, 1 LIFTOFF See below video For the entire video, visit NASA livestream for Artemis II
The crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—is now en route on a roughly 10-day flight that will take them around the Moon and back to Earth. They won’t land on the lunar surface this time, but the mission marks a critical stepping stone for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon’s surface (including the south pole) by 2028 and eventually pave the way for Mars exploration.
What Happens on Artemis II?
The Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, will travel approximately 685,000 miles (1.1 million km), flying farther from Earth than any humans have gone before in the modern era.
The crew will test life support systems, navigation, communications, and the heat shield in the harsh environment of deep space—data that couldn’t be fully gathered during the uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022.
After swinging around the Moon (including a pass behind the far side), the capsule is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean around April 10.
Weather cooperated nicely for tonight’s launch window, with an 80% “go” forecast, and the countdown proceeded smoothly after earlier delays caused by technical issues like helium leaks and hydrogen problems.
Why This Mission Matters
Artemis II is more than a nostalgia trip—it’s a full dress rehearsal for sending humans back to live and work on the Moon. Success here clears the path for Artemis III (targeted for 2027), which will include the first docking with a commercial lunar lander (likely involving SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin systems) and eventual surface operations.
The mission also highlights international cooperation (with Canada’s contribution) and diversity: the crew includes the first woman and first person of color on a lunar-bound flight.
Crowds at Kennedy Space Center and viewers worldwide cheered as the towering orange-and-white SLS rocket thundered into the twilight sky, delivering more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust.
NASA Administrator and mission teams called it a “new era” of exploration—one that builds on Apollo’s legacy while focusing on sustainable presence rather than flags and footprints.
Stay tuned as the crew begins their deep-space adventure. Live updates, crew communications, and stunning views from Orion are expected throughout the mission.
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