Nasa sets new launch date for Artemis Moon mission

Nasa's Orion spacecraft atop the Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 25 February, 2026 - (AFP via Getty Images)

Nasa has announced a new target launch date for its Artemis II mission, which will mark humanity’s first trip to the Moon in more than 50 years.

The 98-metre (322-foot) rocket will roll out of the hangar and back to the pad on 19 March at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, the US space agency said, leading to a launch attempt as early as 1 April.