NASA has set the earliest date for a manned mission to the Moon – March 6.

NASA is preparing a crewed flight to the Moon

* Final launch date: March 6, 2026.

* Artemis II team:

* Reed Vayman – commander (NASA)

* Victor Glower – pilot (NASA)

* Christina Koh – mission specialist (NASA)

* Jeremy Hansen – astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Quarantine and preparation
- Quarantine start date: February 20, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central Time (2:00 a.m., February 21 Moscow time).

- Duration: about 14 days.

- Purpose: minimize crew contact with the outside world and protect them from infections before flight.

Before going into quarantine the crew completed their final comprehensive training.

SLS rocket tests
On February 19, NASA conducted a second “wet” full rehearsal:

1. Filling with cryogenic fuel.

2. Full countdown launch sequence.

3. Safe propellant drain.

After fixing the hydrogen leak observed in the first test, all systems confirmed reliability, allowing the crew to move on to final preparations at Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center.

What the mission will entail
- First crewed launch of the SLS and Orion spacecraft.

- Flight path: a lunar flyby in an “8” orbit without landing.

- Flight duration: about 10 days.

- Goal: verify all systems for deep space and lay the technological groundwork for future landings, particularly Artemis III.

Key dates
Event | Date | Completion of wet rehearsal | Crew quarantine exit | Arrival in Florida ~5 days before launch | Minimum launch date
---|---|---|---|---|---
Wet rehearsal | February 19 | | | |
Crew quarantine | February 20 (5:00 p.m. CT) | | | |
Arrival in Florida | ~5 days before launch | | | |
Minimum launch | March 6 | | | |

Why this matters

This mission will be the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 (1972). If all tests succeed, Artemis II will confirm NASA’s readiness for subsequent lunar landings.