NASA successfully launched the Artemis II mission to the Moon. After 50 years, sending four astronauts on a planned test flight around the moon and back. Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap - astronauts on Mars.
A new chapter in space history started on Wednesday evening, April 1, 2026. At 6:35 p.m. EDT, NASA's massive SLS rocket launched from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
This mission, called Artemis II, is very special because it marks the first time in over 50 years that humans will travel to the Moon.
The launch was perfect, and the four astronauts are now safely inside their Orion spacecraft, circling Earth before they head toward the Moon.
The powerful rocket lit up the sky with nearly 9 million pounds of force. Everything happened exactly as planned.
After a few minutes, the boosters and the main part of the rocket fell away. The Orion spacecraft then opened its four large solar wings to get power from the sun.
On Thursday, April 2, the astronauts even took manual control of the ship for a short time. This was a test to make sure they can steer the spacecraft themselves if they ever need to.
This 10-day mission is humanity's first crewed trip to the Moon in over 50 years. Following the perfect liftoff, the crew is now following a strict daily schedule:
Days 1-2: Launch and Earth orbit. The crew is testing life-support and "proximity flying."
Day 3: The "Translunar Injection" fire pushes Orion toward the Moon.
Days 4-5: Deep space travel and health checks.
Day 6: Lunar flyby! The crew zooms 4,000 - 6,000 miles behind the Moon.
Days 7-9: A gravity "slingshot" sends the ship back home.
Day 10 (April 11): High-speed reentry and Pacific Ocean splashdown.
Watch it live 24/7 on NASA's YouTube or the NASA+ app.
There are four superheroes on this trip. Commander Reid Wiseman is leading the team. Victor Glover is the pilot, and he is the first Black person to go to the Moon.
Christina Koch is the first woman on a Moon mission, and Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to fly this far into space.
They are currently checking all systems, including the air and water, to ensure the ship remains safe for the long journey ahead.
The ship is not going to land on the Moon this time. Instead, it will fly around the back side of the Moon.
This path is called a "free-return trajectory." This means the Moon's gravity will act like a giant rubber band, pulling the ship back toward Earth naturally.
At their furthest point, the crew will be 250,000 miles away from home. This is further than any human has ever travelled.
This mission is a big test. The ship carries 90 kg of oxygen and 240 kg of water for the crew. It also uses a new laser system to send high-definition videos back to Earth much faster than before.
After spending about 10 days in space, the Orion capsule will fall back into the Pacific Ocean on April 11, 2026. Navy ships are already waiting to pick up the astronauts when they splash down.
This mission is the final step before NASA sends people actually to walk on the Moon again in 2028.
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