NASA’s Artemis 2 Launches: 4 Astronauts Begin Moon Mission

NASA launched Artemis II on April 1, 2026, sending four astronauts around the Moon on a 10-day mission.

The crew aboard Orion will test life-support and the European Service Module while traveling about 4,600 nautical miles beyond the Moon's far side.

The spacecraft launched from Kennedy Space Center and will splash down in the Pacific near San Diego after returning to Earth.

NASA plans to use data from Artemis II to prepare Artemis III in 2027 and aims for a crewed lunar landing during Artemis IV in 2028.