Artemis II: Launch Window Opens Today

NASA is preparing for the launch of Artemis II, the first crewed mission of the Artemis program, today, April 1st. The launch window opens at 6:24 PM Eastern Time at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Favorable Conditions and Final Preparations

The agency reports an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch. Engineers completed critical health checks on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on March 31st, and subsequently shifted the launch system into its final configuration that evening.

Launch Day Timeline

On April 1st, engineers will activate the ground launch sequencer in the early hours. Viewers can begin watching the Artemis II launch event at 7:45 AM ET as the Artemis team begins loading propellant into the SLS rocket.

Where to Watch the Launch

Full launch coverage will begin at 12:50 PM ET and will be available on NASA+, Amazon Prime Video, and the YouTube video embedded below.

The Artemis II Crew and Mission Objectives

The Artemis II mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey around the moon.

A Historic Flight

This mission represents the first crewed flight of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft system. It also marks humanity’s first venture into deep space since the Apollo program. During the 10-day mission, astronauts will study the effects of space travel beyond Earth’s orbit on human health.

The launch was originally scheduled for February but was postponed.