NASA’s Artemis II mission has achieved what seemed impossible just years ago: humans are on their way to the Moon again for the first time since 1972. The crew launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, marking the start of a new era in human deep-space exploration.
According to NASA, the mission lifted off at 6:35 p.m. EDT aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, carrying four astronauts on a historic 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch represent NASA, while Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency joins the crew as the first Canadian to travel beyond Earth orbit.
The mission has already cleared several critical milestones. As reported on NASA’s mission blog, the translunar injection burn, a six-minute firing of the Orion spacecraft’s service module engine, successfully accelerated the crew beyond Earth’s gravity well. The subsequent perigee raise burn placed Orion on a stable outbound trajectory toward the Moon. Solar arrays are deployed and functioning, four CubeSats have been released, and the crew has completed a manual piloting demonstration.
Dr. Lori Glaze, NASA’s chief scientist, captured the significance of the moment. “Today, for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, humans have departed Earth orbit,” she said. “Each milestone we reach marks meaningful progress on the path forward for the Artemis program.”
The crew is set for a close lunar flyby on April 6. According to NASA, the pass will allow the astronauts to photograph the Moon’s surface in unprecedented detail, with lighting conditions expected to cast dramatic shadows across ridges, crater rims, and slopes. The crew will also observe regions on the far side of the Moon never directly seen by human eyes. The mission concludes with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
Artemis II is not the final destination, but the foundation for what comes next. The mission validates Orion and SLS performance in deep space before NASA attempts to land astronauts on the lunar south pole during Artemis III. That region is believed to hold deposits of water ice, a resource with major implications for long-duration space missions and eventual human presence on the Moon.
The historic nature of this crew cannot be overstated. Victor Glover becomes the first Black astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit. Jeremy Hansen becomes the first Canadian to venture into deep space. Christina Koch, who set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, adds another milestone to an already remarkable career.
The Artemis program is designed with an eye far beyond the Moon. NASA views lunar operations as essential preparation for crewed Mars missions, giving astronauts and engineers the experience needed to operate and survive in deep space for extended periods. With Artemis II underway, that future feels closer than ever.
