On April 1, 2026, humanity took an important step toward returning to the Moon. In the evening, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, placing the crewed Orion spacecraft with four astronauts on a trajectory toward the Moon. This is the first crewed flight to the Moon in more than 50 years, since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.

The launch took place at 6:35 PM Eastern Time (11:35 PM Moscow time, 12:35 AM on April 2 Yerevan time).

During the broadcast, NASA representative Derrol Nail announced that the launch had occurred and that the Artemis 2 crew was now heading toward the Moon, marking the beginning of humanity’s next great journey.

Mission Crew

On board the Orion spacecraft are:

  • Reid Wiseman — Mission Commander, NASA
  • Victor Glover — Pilot, NASA
  • Christina Koch — Mission Specialist, NASA
  • Jeremy Hansen — Mission Specialist, Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

The three American astronauts are experienced spacefarers, each having spent extended time aboard the International Space Station. Jeremy Hansen is flying to space for the first time and has become the first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

A few days before launch, Reid Wiseman stated that they had assembled the best possible team from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, that they would proceed carefully, fully trusted one another, and that this was how they would complete the journey.

Historical Significance of the Flight

Artemis 2 is not simply a return of humans to the Moon. The mission is “first” in many respects:

  • The first crewed flight of the super-heavy SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft
  • The first human flight to the Moon in the 21st century
  • The first flight beyond low Earth orbit for a woman (Christina Koch), the first Black astronaut (Victor Glover), and a non-American (Jeremy Hansen)
  • The mission also carries the first space toilet to travel to the Moon

Christina Koch noted that while it was meaningful to recognize many firsts, that was not the whole story and certainly not about celebrating any single individual. She added that, if anything was worth celebrating, it was that they were living in a time when anyone with a dream could work just as hard to achieve it.

During the mission, the astronauts will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history—approximately 406,841 km, about 6,400 km beyond the Apollo 13 record.

Mission Details

Artemis 2 follows a free-return trajectory and largely mirrors the concept of the Apollo 8 mission of 1968. Within the first day, the crew will test the primary systems of the Orion spacecraft, including life support, the new toilet, and manual control. Special attention will be given to evaluating docking capabilities for future missions.

About a day after launch, a critical maneuver—the Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI)—is scheduled, which will place Orion onto its final trajectory toward the Moon.

The climax of the mission will be a flyby of the far side of the Moon. The astronauts will approach it to within approximately 8,000 km. During this phase, they will conduct a detailed visual survey of the surface, assessing lighting conditions, colors, and terrain features.

In addition, the crew will carry out scientific experiments to study the effects of increased radiation and microgravity on the human body. A possible communication session with the International Space Station is also planned.

Orion’s external cameras will provide near-continuous live coverage, although image quality may decrease at greater distances. The astronauts are expected to communicate with Earth approximately once per day.

After ten days, the spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. The capsule recovery operation will be conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Navy.

Where to Watch the Artemis 2 Launch and Mission Broadcast

The official live broadcast of the Artemis 2 launch began on April 1 at 12:50 PM Eastern Time (7:50 PM Moscow time, 8:50 PM Yerevan time). NASA and the Canadian Space Agency plan to provide a rich multimedia program throughout the entire 10-day mission.

The broadcast can be viewed on the following platforms:

  • NASA+ — NASA’s official platform (recommended source)
  • NASA’s YouTube channel — with English-language commentary
  • Space.com — featuring a convenient NASA stream

It can also be watched directly here, on our page.

Future Plans

NASA views Artemis 2 as a key step toward establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. Agency Administrator Jared Isaacman recently announced an acceleration of the program: a crewed lunar landing is now planned for 2028, with the creation of a lunar base targeted for 2032. The next missions will include Artemis 3 (an Earth-orbit flight to test docking procedures) and Artemis 4–5 (the first landings).

In Brief

On April 1, 2026, NASA successfully launched the Artemis 2 mission—the first crewed flight to the Moon in 54 years. The SLS rocket placed the Orion spacecraft on its trajectory with a crew consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. The astronauts will spend 10 days in space, perform a lunar flyby, and return to Earth. The mission will serve as a critical test of the SLS and Orion systems ahead of future lunar landings and will act as a stepping stone toward deeper space exploration, including missions to Mars.