When did Artemis II launch?

Artemis II launched on 1 April 2026 at approximately 6:35 PM EDT (11:35 PM BST) from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Who are the Artemis II astronauts?

Commander Reid Wiseman (NASA), Pilot Victor Glover (NASA), Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency). Victor Glover is the first person of colour to travel to the Moon's vicinity. Christina Koch is the first woman. Jeremy Hansen is the first non-American to leave low Earth orbit.

Will Artemis II land on the Moon?

No. Artemis II is a lunar flyby. Orion will pass within approximately 10,300 km (6,400 miles) of the Moon's far side before returning to Earth. The landing mission is Artemis III.

How long is the Artemis II mission?

Approximately 10 days. The outbound leg to the Moon takes about 4 days, with a return of another 4 days, plus Earth orbit checkout and re-entry procedures.

How far will Artemis II travel?

Artemis II will travel over 250,000 miles from Earth, potentially exceeding the Apollo 13 distance record of 248,655 miles set in 1970.

How many people are in space right now during Artemis II?

During the Artemis II mission, there are approximately 18 people in space: 4 aboard Orion heading to the Moon, plus the crew of the International Space Station and China's Tiangong space station.

When will Artemis II splashdown?

Artemis II is expected to splashdown around 10 April 2026 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, recovered by the US Navy.

What is the difference between Artemis II and Artemis III?

Artemis II is a lunar flyby, testing the Orion spacecraft with crew but not landing. Artemis III will attempt the first crewed lunar landing since 1972, using SpaceX's Starship as the landing vehicle.

Who is the first woman to fly to the Moon?

Christina Koch, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist, is the first woman to fly to the Moon's vicinity. She previously held the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days.

Who is the first Black astronaut to go to the Moon?

Victor Glover, NASA astronaut and Artemis II Pilot, is the first person of colour to travel to the Moon's vicinity. He previously flew on SpaceX Crew-1 to the International Space Station.

What rocket is used for Artemis II?

Artemis II uses NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 rocket, standing 98 metres tall with 39.1 meganewtons of thrust at liftoff. It is the most powerful rocket ever flown with crew.

Back to live tracker

Live Mission

Artemis II

The first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. Four astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft on a 10-day lunar flyby, launched 1 April 2026.

Crew

~10

Days

250k+

Miles

Where Is Orion Right Now?

Approximate position based on the planned free-return trajectory. Earth on the left, Moon on the right.

km from Earth

km/h

km to Moon

Mission phase

Next milestone

Right now, Orion is travelling

The crew is now further from home than

Position is an approximation based on the published trajectory profile. Not real-time telemetry.

Meet the Crew

Reid Wiseman

Commander · NASA

Former Navy test pilot and ISS veteran (Expedition 41, 2014). Served as NASA's Chief Astronaut before being selected for Artemis II.

Victor Glover

Pilot · NASA

Navy pilot who flew on SpaceX Crew-1 to the ISS (2020-2021). Completed four spacewalks during his first mission.

First person of colour to fly to the Moon

Christina Koch

Mission Specialist · NASA

Holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days (2019-2020). Part of the first all-female spacewalk in history.

First woman to fly to the Moon

Jeremy Hansen

Mission Specialist · Canadian Space Agency

Former CF-18 fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force. This is his first spaceflight, selected in the Canadian astronaut class of 2009.

First non-American beyond low Earth orbit

Mission Timeline

Day 1 · 1 April

Launch & Earth Orbit

SLS lifts off from Kennedy Space Centre pad 39B. Orion enters Earth orbit for systems checkout before the trans-lunar injection burn.

Day 2 · 2 April

Trans-Lunar Injection

The ICPS upper stage fires to send Orion on a trajectory toward the Moon at roughly 39,000 km/h. The crew begins deep-space operations.

Days 3-4 · 3-4 April

Coast to the Moon

Orion cruises toward the Moon. The crew monitors life support, radiation levels and spacecraft systems. Trajectory correction burns as needed.

Day 5 · 5 April

Lunar Flyby

The defining moment: Orion passes within approximately 10,300 km (6,400 miles) of the Moon's far side. The crew experiences a communications blackout behind the Moon, then emerges on a free-return trajectory home.

Days 6-9 · 6-9 April

Return Coast

Orion travels back toward Earth. The crew conducts science experiments, gathers radiation data and prepares for re-entry.

Day 10 · ~10 April

Re-entry & Splashdown

Orion hits the atmosphere at roughly 40,000 km/h (25,000 mph), using its heat shield for the fastest human re-entry ever. Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, recovered by the US Navy.

The Hardware

Rocket

SLS Block 1

Height

98 m (322 ft)

Thrust at liftoff

39.1 MN (8.8M lbs)

Spacecraft

Orion + ESM

Crew capacity

4 (up to 21 days)

Service module

ESA/Airbus

Re-entry speed

~40,000 km/h

Distance record

>250,000 miles

Why It Matters

The last time humans left low Earth orbit was December 1972, when Apollo 17 astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt walked on the Moon. That was over 53 years ago. Artemis II is the beginning of humanity's return.

This mission tests every system needed for a crewed lunar landing. If Orion performs as expected, Artemis III will attempt the first lunar surface mission since Apollo, using SpaceX's Starship as the landing vehicle.

The Artemis II crew also set multiple firsts: the first woman, the first person of colour, and the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

Artemis II vs Apollo Missions

Artemis II follows the same free-return trajectory concept used by Apollo 8 (first crewed lunar orbit, 1968) and famously by Apollo 13 (1970) when an oxygen tank explosion forced the crew to swing around the Moon and return home.

Unlike Apollo, the Orion spacecraft is significantly larger and more capable. Its habitable volume of 8.95 cubic metres gives the four-person crew roughly twice the living space per astronaut compared to Apollo's command module. The European Service Module provides power, propulsion and life support, replacing the Apollo service module with modern ESA-built hardware.

The SLS rocket produces 15% more thrust at liftoff than the Saturn V, making it the most powerful rocket ever flown with humans aboard.

What Happens After Artemis II?

If the mission succeeds, NASA will move forward with Artemis III, the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17. Artemis III will use SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System (HLS) as the lunar lander, descending from lunar orbit to the surface near the Moon's south pole.

The south pole is of particular interest because permanently shadowed craters there may contain water ice, a critical resource for sustaining a long-term human presence on the Moon.

Beyond Artemis III, NASA plans to build the Lunar Gateway, a small space station in lunar orbit that would serve as a staging point for surface missions and eventually deeper exploration toward Mars.

Live Mission Elapsed Time

Artemis II launched from Kennedy Space Centre pad 39B on 1 April 2026. The mission clock below shows how long the crew has been in space.

T+0d 0h 0m

Mission elapsed time

Splashdown expected around 10 April 2026 in the Pacific Ocean.

Watch Live: NASA Artemis II Stream

NASA's official mission coverage. When the stream is offline, you can watch the latest Artemis II updates and highlights.

Stream provided by NASA. If offline, try NASA's YouTube channel.

Track Everyone in Space Right Now

See the Artemis II crew alongside the ISS and Tiangong astronauts, all in one live tracker.

Open live tracker