The Artemis II manned lunar mission, carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, successfully launched on April 1, 2026, U.S. East Coast Time (April 2, Central European Time).
The Orion spacecraft launched without incident: the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket placed the craft on a trajectory toward the Moon, and now the crew will complete a 10-day lunar flyby and return.
After liftoff, the powerful rocket left a long smoke trail and reached a speed of over 16,100 kilometers per hour. Upon reaching the edge of the Earth's atmosphere, two boosters separated from the rocket, after which the craft continued its journey into space.
Crowds gathered along Florida's Space Coast to watch the launch. Many were at viewing platforms in Titusville, a city across the Indian River from NASA's launch complex, and also watched the livestream.
The Orion crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
Victor Glover became the first African-American astronaut, and Christina Koch became the first woman astronaut, to participate in a human lunar mission.
The Artemis II mission had previously been delayed several times due to a liquid hydrogen leak discovered during a pre-fueling rehearsal, which necessitated a launch delay to ensure the crew's safety.
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