CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. — NASA will launch four astronauts on April 1, 2026, at 6:24 p.m. Eastern time from Kennedy Space Center for a 10-day mission around the moon. The agency is targeting a 3:24 p.m. Pacific time launch of the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket with four astronauts aboard.

The Artemis II mission will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the moon.

The 322-foot-tall Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft stand on Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. This will be the first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft with a crew aboard.

Artemis II is the first mission since Apollo 17 in 1972 to carry humans to the moon and humanity's first journey into deep space since the Apollo program.

The weather forecast shows an 80% chance of favorable conditions for the launch, with potential for clouds and high winds at ground level that could delay the mission. The launch window on April 1, 2026, is open for two hours, until 5:24 p.m. Pacific time.

NASA has additional two-hour launch windows each evening through April 6, 2026, if the launch is delayed by weather or minor technical concerns. If the launch does not occur by April 6, NASA must wait until at least April 30 for the next launch opportunity.

The mission faced previous delays this year. A February 2026 launch attempt of Artemis II was aborted due to a hydrogen leak, and a March 2026 launch attempt was delayed due to a helium issue.

On March 31, 2026, engineers completed critical health checks on the Space Launch System rocket for Artemis II and shifted the launch system into its final configuration.

In the early hours of April 1, 2026, engineers will activate the ground launch sequencer for Artemis II. Propellant loading will begin at 7:45 a.m. Eastern time on launch day.

Full launch coverage will begin at 12:50 p.m. Eastern time on NASA+, Amazon Prime and YouTube. NASA will livestream major milestones of the mission, including the launch, on its X account, Facebook page, Twitch profile and website. C-SPAN will provide television coverage and allow viewer calls.

During the 10-day mission, astronauts will study the effects of deep-space travel on human health. The crew will test Orion's life-support systems and evaluate the spacecraft's protection against space radiation and potential emergencies.

The crew will circle the moon on the Monday after launch and will travel farther from Earth than any previous human mission, surpassing the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles set in 1970. The capsule is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on April 10, 2026.