Anticipation is soaring as NASA prepares, in just a few days, to launch four astronauts on a historic journey around the Moon.
The space agency recently unveiled its comprehensive schedule for the mission’s final preparations and main launch event. This includes a Q&A session with the crew this Friday, the highly anticipated liftoff on Wednesday, April 1, and ongoing updates throughout their lunar voyage.
The international crew, comprising Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Jeremy Hansen, will embark from the launchpad. Their vessel will be an Orion spacecraft, propelled skyward by NASA’s formidable Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
After spending several days in Earth orbit to conduct system checks, the crew will journey towards the Moon. While they will not land on the lunar surface, their mission involves a flyby, taking humanity farther from Earth than at any point since the Apollo missions over five decades ago.
Below is a detailed overview of the key events leading up to and including the Artemis II mission launch. All listed times are Eastern Time (ET):
Artemis II Mission Schedule Overview (All times ET):
Friday, March 27
- 2:30 p.m.: The Artemis II crew will arrive at the Kennedy Space Center for a Q&A session with the press. NASA chief Jared Isaacman and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) president Lisa Campbell will also be in attendance.
Sunday, March 29
- 9:30 a.m.: The Artemis II crew will conduct an additional virtual media Q&A session from their quarantine facility.
- 2 p.m.: NASA officials involved with the mission will hold a status update on launch preparations for Artemis II.
Monday, March 30
- 5 p.m.: Following a critical mission meeting, NASA will host a news conference to provide an updated status on launch preparations.
Tuesday, March 31
- 1 p.m.: The space agency will hold a prelaunch news conference to discuss the countdown status.
Wednesday, April 1 (Launch Day)
- 7:45 a.m.: Coverage begins, focusing on the tanking operations to load propellant into the SLS rocket. The livestream will offer various views of the rocket and expert commentary.
- 12:50 p.m.: The official livestream for the highly anticipated launch begins. Liftoff is currently targeted for no earlier than 6:24 p.m. Coverage will continue after Orion’s solar array wings deploy in space.
Approximately two and a half hours post-launch, following the SLS rocket’s upper stage burn to propel Orion and its crew into high-Earth orbit, NASA will host a news conference to provide a mission update. Please note that exact start times, and indeed the entire schedule, are subject to change based on the precise liftoff time and the progress of final preparations. Any updates will be communicated by NASA. Further details regarding daily mission updates and live crew link-ups will be made available as the mission progresses.
