NASA targets April 1 launch for historic Artemis II moon mission

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has revealed the new date for the launch of its human mission around the moon.

In an update on Thursday, the American space agency said that it was aiming to launch its Artemis II mission as early as April 1, 2026. This mission would mark the first human spaceflight around the moon in over 50 years.

The mission has been delayed twice this year due, most recently because of a safety issue with the rocket which prompted officials to take the rocket back to its hangar for more repairs.

The Acting Associate Administrator of NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Lori Glaza, said: “Everything is going pretty well.”

Glaze added that the teams were aiming to roll the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket back to the launch pad at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on March 19.

The decision was announced after a two-day flight readiness review meeting of mission managers and NASA officials.

The space agency plans to send four astronauts on a 10-day voyage around the moon. The astronauts include:

• NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman,
• NASA astronaut Christina Koch,
• NASA astronaut Victor Glover,
• Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Initially scheduled to launch as early as February 8, 2026, the mission was delayed due to hydrogen leaks and helium flow issues.

The Artemis I mission was an uncrewed flight around the moon. It was launched by NASA in 2022.