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5h ago

NASA Targets April 1 Launch for Artemis II, First Crewed Lunar Flyby Since Apollo

A helium-seal fix cleared the way for rollout to Pad 39B on March 19 with fueling planned only on launch day.

NASA's Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) moon rocket with the Orion spacecraft slowly rolls back towards the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan., 17, 2026.
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Overview

  • Following a two-day Flight Readiness Review, officials unanimously polled go for a 6:24 p.m. EDT liftoff on April 1 within a launch window that extends through April 6.
  • NASA will not conduct another wet dress rehearsal, reserving the next propellant loading for the launch attempt to preserve tank life.
  • The SLS/Orion stack returns to the pad March 19 after replacing a displaced helium quick‑disconnect seal on the upper stage and completing battery servicing.
  • Crewmembers Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen start a 14‑day quarantine at Johnson Space Center on March 18 before moving to Kennedy on March 27.
  • The roughly 10‑day free‑return flyby will validate Orion and SLS systems for future missions, as the reworked plan adds a 2027 Earth‑orbit docking test and targets a crewed lunar landing in 2028.