Artemis II Mission Tracker
Follow four astronauts as they journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft — farther from Earth than any human has traveled in over half a century.
Launching In
LIVE — Mission Elapsed Time
Mission Complete
April 1, 2026 · 6:24 PM EDT · Kennedy Space Center
Mission at a Glance
Meet the Crew
Four astronauts will make history aboard Orion — the most diverse crew ever sent beyond low Earth orbit.
Reid Wiseman
🇺🇸 United States
Navy test pilot and veteran astronaut. Spent 165 days aboard the ISS on Expedition 41. Selected by NASA in 2009.
Victor Glover
🇺🇸 United States
Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut. Served as pilot on SpaceX Crew-1, the first operational Crew Dragon mission to the ISS.
Christina Koch
🇺🇸 United States
Holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days). Participated in the first all-female spacewalk.
Jeremy Hansen
🇨🇦 Canada
Canadian Space Agency astronaut and former CF-18 fighter pilot. Selected in 2009, he will be the first Canadian to fly beyond low Earth orbit.
Mission Timeline
Key milestones of the Artemis II lunar flyby mission.
Launch
SLS lifts off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39B, sending Orion and the crew toward the Moon.
Translunar Injection
The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) fires to send Orion on a trajectory toward the Moon.
Outbound Coast
Orion cruises toward the Moon. The crew tests spacecraft systems and conducts science experiments including AVATAR.
Lunar Flyby
Orion performs a powered flyby of the Moon, passing approximately 6,400 miles above the lunar surface.
Return Coast
After swinging around the far side of the Moon, Orion begins its journey back to Earth.
Re-entry & Splashdown
Orion re-enters Earth's atmosphere at approximately 25,000 mph and splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.
Watch Live
Follow the mission in real time from multiple sources.
Historic Firsts
Artemis II will set multiple records and milestones in human spaceflight.
First Woman Toward the Moon
Christina Koch will be the first woman to fly on a lunar mission.
First Black Astronaut Toward the Moon
Victor Glover will be the first Black astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit.
First Canadian Beyond LEO
Jeremy Hansen will be the first Canadian to fly beyond low Earth orbit.
First Crewed Artemis Flight
The first crewed mission of NASA's Artemis program, following the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022.
Farthest Humans from Earth in 50+ Years
The crew will travel farther from Earth than any human since Apollo 17 in 1972.
About the Moon
Our closest celestial neighbor and the destination for Artemis.
Distance from Earth
The Moon orbits at an average distance of 238,855 miles (384,400 km) from Earth.
Water on the Moon
Scientists have confirmed water ice exists in permanently shadowed polar craters, and water molecules on sunlit regions.
Ancient Surface
The lunar surface is heavily cratered, preserving billions of years of solar system impact history with no wind or weather to erode them.
Internal Structure
Like Earth, the Moon has a layered structure: a solid core, a mostly solid mantle, and a thin outer crust.
AVATAR Science Experiment
Studying human biology beyond Earth
The AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation will use organ-on-chip devices to study the effects of radiation and microgravity on human tissue during deep space travel. This cutting-edge research will help scientists understand how the human body responds to the harsh environment beyond Earth's protective magnetosphere.
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