Live: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
Four astronauts are now en route to the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' after a successful SLS rocket launch.
NASA's historic Artemis II mission is underway, marking humanity's first crewed return to lunar space in over 50 years. On April 1, 2026, the agency's massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39B, carrying the Orion spacecraft 'Integrity' and its four-person international crew. The astronauts—NASA's Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and CSA Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen—are embarking on an approximately 10-day journey that will take them around the Moon and back to Earth, testing all critical systems for future lunar landings.
The launch sequence proceeded nominally, with the twin solid rocket boosters (each generating 3.6 million pounds of thrust) separating two minutes into flight. Following core stage separation, the Orion spacecraft successfully deployed its four solar array wings (SAWs), a critical milestone. Each wing extends the spacecraft's span to 63 feet and contains 15,000 solar cells to generate power for life support, communications, and avionics. The crew's next tasks include performing orbital raise maneuvers and a key proximity operations demonstration, testing manual control of Orion relative to its spent upper stage.
Live coverage of the mission continues on NASA's digital platforms, including NASA+ and YouTube, with 24/7 updates available on the Artemis blog. A post-launch news conference was scheduled for 9 p.m. ET from Kennedy Space Center. This uncrewed test flight validates the spacecraft, rocket, and ground systems needed to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, paving the way for the Artemis III mission planned to land astronauts near the lunar south pole.
- The SLS rocket's solid rocket boosters, standing 177 feet tall, provided 3.6 million pounds of thrust each before separating two minutes into flight.
- Orion's four solar array wings successfully deployed, providing a 63-foot wingspan with 60,000 total solar cells to power the spacecraft's 10-day journey.
- The mission carries an international crew of four astronauts who will test manual spacecraft control and life-support systems on the trip around the Moon.
Why It Matters
This successful launch validates the complete system for returning humans to the Moon, directly enabling future lunar surface missions and deep-space exploration to Mars.