NASA on Wednesday sent Artemis II into flight, launching four astronauts on the first human mission around the Moon since the Apollo era. The mission lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is being viewed as a major milestone in the US space agency’s effort to send the astronauts back to the lunar surface.
Before liftoff, US President Donald Trump stated in a Truth Social post, “For the first time in 50 years, America is going back to the Moon…Nobody comes close! America doesn’t just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole world is watching.”
The launch followed hours of detailed work on the pad. As per NASA’s live mission updates, the Artemis II closeout team helped the astronauts with suit-up, cabin checks, entry into the Orion, hatch closure and other final procedures before leaving Launch Complex 39B and turning over the spacecraft to launch controllers.
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Liftoff.
The Artemis II mission launched from @NASAKennedy at 6:35pm ET (2235 UTC), propelling four astronauts on a journey around the Moon.
Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap — astronauts on Mars. pic.twitter.com/ENQA4RTqAc
— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2026
How did the final launch preparation take place?
In its updates, NASA stated that the Orion capsule was positioned in flight-ready conditions after teams completed seal checks. It also verified that the hatch area was secure. The astronauts then carried out communication checks with mission control an onboard systems. A suit leak tests was also conducted as part of the final safety sequence. NASA further mentioned that once these steps were done, the closeout crew exited the White Room, leaving Orion closed and ready for launch. The agency also raised the probability of favourable weather to 90%, improving confidence as the countdown entered its final stretch.
Did engineers face any last-minute problems?
Yes. One issue was identified in the flight termination system, which is used to protect public safety if a rocket goes off course. NASA also stated that engineers also found a way to verify the hardware after a communication-linked concern was flagged, and later confirmed that the system was ready. This issue came to light late in the countdown.
A second concern was related to a battery sensor related to the capsule’s launch abort system. NASA also mentioned that the higher than expected temperature reading was believed to be an instrumental problem and would not affect the launch.
Who is flying on Artemis II?
The crew consists of Victor Glover, Ried Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch. Hansen from Canada is the first non-American astronaut to travel to the Moon. Koch will be the first woman assigned to a lunar mission, whereas Glover will be the first Black astronaut chosen for the mission.
When the crew was preparing for the launch, Commander Reid Wiseman stated, “It’s a great day for us. It’s a great day for this team,” as quoted by the Associated Press.
NASA Administrator Jared Issacman mentioned, “The next era of exploration begins.”
Why does this mission matter?
Unlike the Apollo landings, Artemis II will not touch down on the Moon. Instead, it will send the crew on a mission of nearly 10 days around the Moon, and then they will come back. The astronauts are also expected to assess Orion’s life support systems, communications links and manual handlings in space.
Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972. The flight is planned to clear the way for later missions, including a planned landing near the Moon’s south pole, as underlined by NASA.