NASA announced a new deadline for manned lunar landing: the Artemis II mission is now confirmed and launched.

NASA announced the completion of a key milestone in preparing for the Artemis II mission

At a press briefing that took place a few hours ago, NASA officials reported that the team conducted a “Flight Readiness Review” (FRR) and unanimously approved the launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft and four astronauts.

Planned launch
DateTime (local)Time (MSK)1 April 2026 18:24 02:24 (+1 day)
The launch will take place from pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. This is the first crewed flight of the SLS and Orion, as well as the first return of humans to the Moon in almost fifty years (the last mission was Apollo 17 in 1972).

Mission profile
- Duration: ~10 days

- Mission: free‑orbit around the Moon without landing, followed by a return to Earth.

- Crew:

- Reed Wiseman – commander

- Victor Glover – pilot

- Christina Koch – systems specialist

- Jeremy Hansen – specialist, Canadian representative

Preparation sequence
1. 19 March 2026 – the SLS rocket with Orion returns to the launch pad.

2. 18 March – the crew enters a 14‑day quarantine to reduce infection risk.

3. 27 March – astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center, where quarantine continues until launch.

Changes in fueling procedures
- Unlike previous attempts (two postponements due to hydrogen and helium leaks), “wet” full‑scale rehearsals are no longer conducted.

- The rocket will be fueled with cryogenic propellant (liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen) only once – directly on the day of launch – to eliminate additional risks. This decision was made after repairing the upper stage (ICPS) and subsequent data analysis.

What is expected from the mission
- Confirmation of the operation of the most powerful rocket in human history — the SLS.

- Testing of Orion systems in deep space: radiation protection, thermal shield, life support, etc.

A launch in April 2026 will allow NASA to accelerate its return to lunar operations with an aim for landings by 2028. If the 1 April launch does not occur (due to weather or technical issues), windows are open on 2–6 April and 30 April.

Historical moment

After more than fifty years, people will again travel to the Moon to usher in an era of permanent human presence on the nearest celestial body.