The Space Launch System (SLS), which will take four astronauts on a round trip to the Moon for the first time in over half a century is out on the launch pad.
Artemis II will be the first crewed mission of Nasa’s Artemis programme and the first time astronauts travel beyond low-Earth orbit since the historic Apollo program.
The mission aims to test critical systems needed for future lunar landings, including those planned under Artemis III.
The four-member crew, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft, launched by the powerful Space Launch System.
WHEN WILL ARTEMIS-II MISSION LAUNCH?
NASA is set to launch its landmark Artemis II on April 2, 2026 at 3:54 AM IST, marking a major step in humanity’s return to the Moon.
During the roughly 10-day mission, the crew will orbit the Moon without landing, conducting a series of tests to evaluate the spacecraft’s life-support systems, navigation, and deep-space communication capabilities.
The mission is considered a critical rehearsal for future lunar surface missions.
Nasa officials say Artemis II represents a new era of human space exploration, with a long-term goal of establishing a sustained presence on the Moon and eventually preparing for missions to Mars.
The Artemis programme also emphasises international collaboration, highlighted by the inclusion of a Canadian astronaut on the crew.
The launch will take place from the Kennedy Space Center, where final preparations are already underway. Engineers continue to conduct system checks and simulations to ensure mission readiness.
If successful, Artemis II will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts, potentially including the first woman and the first person of colour, on the lunar surface later this decade.
As anticipation builds worldwide, the mission is being closely watched as a defining moment in the next chapter of human space exploration.
