Artemis II marks humanity’s return to the Moon after 54 years, with four astronauts preparing for a 10-day journey from Cape Canaveral. The crew will undertake a 685,000-mile round trip in the Orion space capsule, traveling approximately 4,700 miles beyond the Moon’s far side and establishing a new distance record.
Mission Crew and Objectives
The team includes NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, alongside NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Although the crew will not land on the lunar surface, this mission paves the way for upcoming landings.
Artemis III will conduct tests in low Earth orbit using lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. Artemis IV, targeted no earlier than 2028, will send two astronauts to the Moon’s South Pole for about a week.
Launch Schedule
Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson confirmed the countdown began at 4:44 p.m. local time on Monday. She stated: “It is an exciting time. It’s an exciting time for this team and our crew and really our nation and the world. All indications are right now we’re in excellent, excellent shape as we get into count.”
NASA targets liftoff at 6:24 p.m. local time on Wednesday, equivalent to 11:24 p.m. UK time. Weather or technical issues could cause delays, as seen with a prior two-month postponement due to hydrogen fuel leaks and blocked helium lines.
How to Watch Live
View the launch live on NASA’s YouTube channel for full coverage of this historic event.
