The historic Artemis II mission has launched, carrying the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
On Wednesday afternoon, the four astronauts – three Americans and one Canadian – donned their orange spacesuits and headed to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They were seen smiling and waving to a crowd of well-wishers.
The launch took place at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time.
The crew will set out on a 10-day voyage that will take them around the far side of the moon and back to Earth. While they will not land on the lunar surface, Nasa hopes that the mission will play a key role in helping establish a permanent settlement on the moon.
The launch comes after weeks of fuel leaks and other issues that caused a previous liftoff attempt to be cancelled late. After that, the rocket had to be rolled back from its launchpad.
Key Points
- When will mission take off and arrive back home?
- Who are Nasa's Moon-bound astronauts?
- What you need to know about the Moon launch
Watch Artemis II launch live
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:09 , Anthony CuthbertsonWhy spaceflight is having a moment, from Artemis to Project Hail Mary
03:40 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Why spaceflight is having a moment, from Artemis to Project Hail Mary
Why has it taken 50 years to return to the Moon?
02:32 , Anthony Cuthbertson
Why has it taken 50 years to return to the Moon? A space historian explains
America is going back to the Moon - here's why it's a big deal
01:11 , Anthony Cuthbertson
America is going back to the moon. Here’s why it’s a big deal
White House shares Mario-themed celebration
Thursday 2 April 2026 00:10 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe official White House account on X has shared a bizarre Mario-themed video celebrating the launch of the Artemis II mission.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 1, 2026
Successful separation
Wednesday 1 April 2026 23:47 , Anthony CuthbertsonEight minutes into the flight and the core stage separation is successful.
Artemis II astronauts head to the Moon!
Wednesday 1 April 2026 23:36 , Anthony CuthbertsonWe have lift off! Artemis II’s four-astronaut crew is on its way to the Moon.
Just 248,000 miles to go.
'Go for launch'
Wednesday 1 April 2026 23:25 , Anthony CuthbertsonAll final checks have been carried out and the Artemis II launch countdown is back underway.
“We are go for launch,” the launch director says.
T-minus 10 minutes.
Launch countdown held at 10 minutes
Wednesday 1 April 2026 23:19 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe launch countdown is held at 10 minutes while final checks and confirmations are made.
Update on battery issue
Wednesday 1 April 2026 23:13 , Anthony CuthbertsonOne of the two batteries on the launch abort system was reportedly experiencing a “higher temperature than would be expected” due to an instrumentation failure, however Nasa has now said it will not impact the launch.
The batteries are situated in the tower above the Orion capsule, and they are responsible for pulling it clear from the rocket in the event of a problem with SLS.
It’s now just 10 minutes until the two-hour launch window opens.
The path of the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:58 , Anthony CuthbertsonNasa has provided a handy graphic of the route the Artemis II crew will take in their flight around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft.
After lifting off from pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the SLS rocket will be jettisoned before Orion performs a high-altitude orbit of Earth.
Then begins the four-day outbound transit to the Moon, 250,000 miles away. After swinging by the Moon, Orion will return to Earth, eventually splashing down off the west coast of America.
Battery issue but weather improves
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:37 , Anthony CuthbertsonNasa has noted a battery issue, though adds that there’s still plenty of time for it to be resolved.
On the plus side, the weather has improved, with the probability of favourable launch conditions now up to 90 per cent.
T-minus 1 hour for Artemis II launch
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:29 , Anthony CuthbertsonThere’s now less than an hour to go until the Artemis II launch.
While we wait, you can read all about this historic mission here.
America is going back to the moon. Here’s why it’s a big deal
Ground crew closes launch abort system hatch
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:19 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe launch abort system hatch has been closed.
The crew hatch of the Orion spacecraft, which sits atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, is already closed.
The close out crew will now leave that room. The next big step is moving the crew access arm away from the rocket.
'The range is go'
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:12 , Anthony CuthbertsonWith just over an hour to go until launch, the issue with the flight termination system has been solved.
“The good news is, the range is go,” Nasa says.
All other systems are looking good, though there is still a minor chance that weather could impact the launch. The launch weather forecaster has kept his original prediction of being “80 per cent go”.
More on the potential issue
Wednesday 1 April 2026 22:02 , Anthony CuthbertsonNasa hasn’t provided any further updates since warning of the issue with the flight termination system, but ground controllers are still unable to communicate with this crucial piece of hardware.
The flight termination system is an onboard safety mechanism that would destroy the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in case it veers off course and threatens people on the ground.
A potential solution apparently involves retrieving a piece of “heritage hardware” from the Space Shuttle missions.
Artemis II launch team warns of potential issue
Wednesday 1 April 2026 21:36 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe launch team is currently “working an issue” with the range.
This refers to the airspace that needs to be clear for the launch, which Nasa is unable to verify currently. Ground crews have requested some “heritage hardware” from a previous mission in order to resolve it.
There is still a two hour launch window, so hopefully they can get it fixed.
“At this moment, the range is no go,” Nasa says. “But that is not stopping us from moving forward with the countdown.”
T-minus 2 hours for Artemis II launch
Wednesday 1 April 2026 21:24 , Anthony CuthbertsonThe countdown clock for the Artemis II launch has just ticked past two hours.
Nasa’s official broadcast shows ground crews readying the capsule and rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
We're going around the Moon. Come watch with us. Artemis II's four-astronaut crew is lifting off from @NASAKennedy on an approximately 10-day mission that will bring us closer to living on the Moon and Mars. The launch window opens at 6:24pm ET (2224 UTC). https://t.co/X27QJejNDt
— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2026
King Charles III writes to Canadian astronaut ahead of launch
Wednesday 1 April 2026 20:58 , Anthony CuthbertsonKing Charles III has written to Canadian astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen ahead of the Artemis II launch. Colonel Hansen will fly as a mission specialist on the lunar flyby.
In his letter to Colonel Hansen, ahead of the test flight, the monarch wrote: “As the first Canadian to venture to the Moon, you carry not only the hopes of your fellow Canadians and the Commonwealth, but also the aspirations of humanity itself.”
The UK is playing a part in the mission, with the Goonhilly Earth Station, near Helston, Cornwall, helping to track the capsule on its epic celestial voyage.
“You will, most certainly, reflect upon the fragile beauty of Earth as it rises above the lunar horizon, just as your predecessors did half a century ago,” King Charles wrote.
“May that sight renew in you, and in all who follow your journey, the conviction that we must learn from the lessons of how we have over-exploited and polluted our own planet, and thus care for the Universe, and all life contained within it, with reverence and a true sense of what is Sacred.
“In an age when humanity’s reach into the stars grows ever bolder it is vital that the Moon remains a beacon of peaceful scientific discovery rather than a theatre of exploitation.”
You can read more about the four crew members of the Artemis II mission here.
Meet the Artemis crew being launched to the moon in Nasa’s next lunar leap
Meet ‘Rise’ the official mascot of the Artemis II moon mission
Wednesday 1 April 2026 20:06 , Anthony CuthbertsonWith just under 3.5 hours until launch, the astronauts have made their way inside the Orion spacecraft. They are joined by a toy that will accompany them on the trip around the Moon.
The softball-sized mascot called Rise will serve as a zero gravity indicator, letting the crew know when they’ve made it to space.
Designed by a second grader in California, Rise is also carrying a MicroSD card with the names of 5.6 million people on it. You can read all about it here.
Meet ‘Rise’ the official mascot of the Artemis II moon mission
The four astronauts have taken their seats inside the Orion capsule
Wednesday 1 April 2026 20:04 , Brendan RasciusThe astronauts have taken their seats in the Orion capsule atop NASA’s SLS rocket. Staff were seen assisting them.
Astronauts are on the launch pad
Wednesday 1 April 2026 19:29 , Brendan RasciusA vehicle drove the four astronauts to the Kennedy Space Center launchpad, and they are taking the elevator to the launch tower.
IN PHOTOS: Astronauts smile and wave ahead of their historic mission
Wednesday 1 April 2026 19:23 , Brendan RasciusThe mission’s commander, Reid Wiseman, and fellow astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen were seen smiling and waving at a crowd of well-wishers on Wednesday afternoon.
Astronauts are preparing for launch
Wednesday 1 April 2026 19:19 , Brendan RasciusThe four astronauts have donned their suits and are preparing to head to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The launch is scheduled to begin at 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time, about one hour before sunset.
Nasa begins fueling rocket to launch astronauts on the first lunar trip in half a century
Wednesday 1 April 2026 17:41 , Andrew Griffin
NASA begins fueling rocket to launch astronauts on the first lunar trip in half a century
Why has it taken 50 years to return to the Moon? A space historian explains
Wednesday 1 April 2026 17:40 , Andrew GriffinWhy has it taken 50 years to return to the Moon? A space historian explains
12 hours until launch window opens
Wednesday 1 April 2026 11:25 , Andrew GriffinIt’s now less than half a day until the Nasa astronauts blast off to the Moon. (All being well; it could be delayed and it has been before, but the space agency says today is looking good so far.)
Rocket sits ready on its launchpad
Wednesday 1 April 2026 11:12 , Andrew GriffinThis image from the Italian space agency shows the rocket as it sits, waiting on its launchpad.
🚀 Artemis II is positioned for lift off at Launch Complex 39B at @NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
— e-GEOS (@e_geos) April 1, 2026
🛰️ This polarimetric radar image was acquired by one of the Second-Generation COSMO-SkyMed satellites of @ASI_spazio and @MinisteroDifesa, and processed by e-GEOS,… pic.twitter.com/lb4lIN7R9h
What you need to know about the Moon launch
Wednesday 1 April 2026 10:46 , Andrew GriffinHere’s a full rundown of everything to know ahead of the launch tonight
Who are Nasa's Moon-bound astronauts?
Wednesday 1 April 2026 10:13 , Andrew GriffinThe crew is made up of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
Koch already holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. During her 328-day mission at the International Space Station spanning 2019 and 2020, she took part in the first all-female spacewalk.
Glover, a Navy test pilot, was the first Black astronaut to live and work aboard the space station in 2020 and 2021. He also was one of the first astronauts to launch with SpaceX.
The Canadian Space Agency's Hansen, a former fighter pilot, is the lone space rookie.
Their commander is Wiseman, a retired Navy captain who lived aboard the space station in 2014 and later headed NASA's astronaut corps.
They range in age from 47 to 50.
King Charles writes to Canadian astronaut
Wednesday 1 April 2026 10:11 , Andrew GriffinKing Charles has written to Canadian astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen, who will become the first non-American person ever to perform a lunar visit. (It is a mission of firsts: the crew will also include the first woman and the first person of colour.)
Here’s an extract from the letter. It makes heavy reference to the “Astra Carta”, a document launched by the King in 2023 to promote sustainability in space exploration.
“It is with immense pride and a profound sense of shared purpose that I write to you as you prepare to embark upon the Artemis II mission – the first crewed voyage beyond low Earth orbit since the dawn of the Space Age. As the first Canadian to venture to the Moon, you carry not only the hopes of your fellow Canadians and the Commonwealth, but also the aspirations of humanity itself.
In 2023, when I launched the Astra Carta at Buckingham Palace, I did so in the firm belief that our stewardship of the planet must now extend to the infinite wonders of the Universe. The Astra Carta urges us to navigate the celestial realms with wisdom, foresight and responsibility. Its fundamental principles are not mere aspirations; they are a solemn pledge to future generations. They remind us that the cosmos is not a frontier to be conquered, but a shared inheritance to be cherished and preserved.
As you orbit the Moon, you will carry these principles in the most literal and profound sense. In an age when humanity’s reach into the stars grows even bolder it is vital that the Moon remains a beacon of peaceful scientific discovery.
May the stars align in your favour, and may your safe return inspire countless others to uphold the values of sustainability, cooperation and wonder that the Astra Carta enshrines.”
What time will the mission launch?
Wednesday 1 April 2026 10:08 , Andrew GriffinThe countdown clock at the launchpad is already ticking. Its progressing towards 6.24pm local time, or 11.24pm in the UK.
Nasa has a two-hour window, in the case of any problems. If it can’t make that window, then it has other opportunities through this week and into the weekend, and then at the end of the month.
The full mission will take 10 days, after which the spacecraft will drop back down into the ocean.
Hello and welcome...
Wednesday 1 April 2026 10:05 , Andrew Griffin... to The Independent’s live coverage of Nasa’s mission to the Moon, Artemis II.
