NASA Sets Coverage for Artemis II Moon Mission
WASHINGTON (AP) — NASA plans live coverage of its Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon in more than 50 years, with a launch targeted no earlier than 6:24 p.m. EDT on April 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission will send four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby to test the Orion spacecraft's life support systems with humans aboard for the first time, NASA said. The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The flight builds on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022 and aims to validate capabilities for future deep-space travel, including to Mars, according to agency officials.
NASA will stream prelaunch briefings, the launch, mission events, the lunar flyby and splashdown on platforms including YouTube, NASA+ and Amazon Prime, the agency announced March 25, 2026. Social media channels will also carry coverage. The Canadian Space Agency will host bilingual English-French events for the launch, splashdown and three space-to-Earth connections, streamed on its Facebook and YouTube pages, according to a March 26, 2026, statement from the agency.
A key prelaunch milestone involves the rollout of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft stack to Launch Pad 39B, set no earlier than 7 a.m. EST on Jan. 17, 2026, from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, NASA said in a Jan. 14, 2026, advisory. The multihour trek marks progress toward the launch, following tests such as a crew timeline evaluation in September 2023.
"NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch, launch, and mission events for the agency's upcoming Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon," the agency stated in its March 25, 2026, announcement.
The launch window opens at 6:24 p.m. EDT on April 1, 2026, and lasts two hours, with backup opportunities daily through April 6, 2026, according to NASA. The SLS rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft, which includes systems for life support, navigation and deep-space operations. Officials described the mission as the first human test of these integrated systems.
Artemis II represents a step toward sustainable lunar exploration under NASA's Artemis program, which includes plans for the Gateway space station and commercial partnerships, the agency said. The flight follows Artemis I's successful uncrewed orbit of the moon in November 2022, which tested the SLS and Orion after delays related to issues like the heat shield and batteries.
Hansen's participation marks the first non-U.S. astronaut in the Artemis era, highlighting international collaboration, according to the Canadian Space Agency. The agency encouraged Canadians to follow coverage on its social media, stating in its March 26, 2026, release: "Canadians are encouraged to follow Artemis II mission coverage on CSA social media channels."
NASA noted that event schedules and streams will update continuously through the mission on its websites. Media can access feeds by emailing nasa-dl-nasaplus-programming@mail.nasa.gov, the agency said. Dedicated streams will cover each major event as dates approach.
The mission's significance stems from its role in paving the way for Artemis III, planned as the first lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, with a target around 2027, according to NASA. "Artemis II builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022, and will demonstrate a broad range of capabilities needed on deep space missions," the agency stated on its Artemis II mission page.
Prelaunch activities include briefings, though specific times remain subject to updates, NASA said. The rollout on Jan. 17, 2026, follows integration in the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3. "The agency's integrated SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis II mission is inching closer to launch – literally," NASA said in its Jan. 14, 2026, advisory.
The Artemis program counters private sector efforts like SpaceX's Starship while emphasizing government-led heavy-lift rockets, according to NASA descriptions. It aims for long-term moon presence and Mars missions. "The first crewed Artemis flight marks a key step toward long-term return to the Moon and future missions to Mars," NASA stated on its website.
Viewers can access 24/7 streams on NASA's YouTube channel, with event-specific links added closer to dates, the agency said. Amazon Prime will also broadcast select coverage. The Canadian Space Agency plans to share more details on its events later.
NASA officials noted the mission tests Orion's crew module in deep space, a first with astronauts aboard. The 10-day duration includes the lunar flyby, providing data for future flights.
Historical context places Artemis II as the first U.S. crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 ended the Apollo program in 1972. The SLS and Orion systems underwent maturation through milestones like a 2025 countdown demonstration test, following Artemis I's lessons.
The agency reported no major contradictions in mission details across sources. Launch risks, such as weather or technical issues, could lead to scrubs, though specifics were not detailed in announcements.
Media accreditation deadlines for in-person coverage at Kennedy Space Center were not fully specified in initial releases, with NASA indicating updates on its media pages.
The rollout advisory signals an accelerating timeline, post-Artemis I, NASA said. Crew bios highlight Wiseman as commander, Glover as pilot, Koch as mission specialist and Hansen as mission specialist.
For more information, NASA directs users to its Artemis II page, which includes ongoing updates to briefings and events.
