Artemis II: A Historic Return to the Moon

NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled for launch as early as 6:24 p.m. EDT today, marking humanity’s return to crewed lunar missions after more than 50 years. The mission will send the Orion capsule, carrying a four-person crew, on a 10-day flight around the moon.

Meet the Artemis II Crew

The Artemis II crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. This diverse team is poised to break several records during their journey.

How to Watch the Launch Live

NASA will be providing a free live stream of the launch across multiple platforms, requiring no account creation, subscription, or advertisements. The live stream is scheduled to begin at 12:50 p.m. EDT on NASA’s official channels.

Launch Window and Potential Dates

While today is the primary target, the launch window extends through Monday, April 29th, with an additional opportunity on April 30th. As of Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday appears favorable for launch.

Pre-Launch Coverage

NASA will begin coverage with a live feed of tanking operations on its YouTube channel at 7:45 a.m. EDT. This precedes the main launch broadcast starting at 12:50 p.m. EDT.

Post-Launch Coverage and Mission Updates

Following a successful launch (anticipated around 6:24 p.m. - 8:24 p.m. EDT), NASA will hold a news conference approximately two hours later. The agency will also provide live, real-time coverage of the mission on its YouTube channel, including conversations with the astronauts and daily mission briefings.

Patrick Pester is the trending news writer at Live Science, with experience at BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. He holds master’s degrees in international journalism and biodiversity, evolution and conservation in action.