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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida. (April 1, 2026) — NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket thundered off Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center today, carrying four astronauts on the Artemis II mission — the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era ended in 1972. Humans haven’t been near the Moon’s orbit in over 50 years!

Liftoff occurred at approximately 6:35 p.m. EDT (following a target of 6:24 p.m.), with the massive rocket’s twin solid rocket boosters and four RS-25 engines generating 8.8 million pounds of thrust to propel the Orion spacecraft skyward. The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (female mission specialist), along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). You can watch a replay of the launch broadcast in the video linked below.

We're going around the Moon. Come watch with us. Artemis II's four-astronaut crew is lifting off from @NASAKennedy on an approximately 10-day mission that will bring us closer to living on the Moon and Mars. The launch window opens at 6:24pm ET (2224 UTC). https://t.co/X27QJejNDt

— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2026

This 10-day mission will send the astronauts on a lunar flyby trajectory. They are expected to loop around the Moon, passing within about 6,000 miles (9,660 km) of its surface around April 6, before returning to Earth. Unlike the Apollo moon landings, Artemis II is a test flight focused on validating the Orion spacecraft’s systems for deep-space travel, including life support, navigation, and re-entry capabilities in preparation for future Artemis lunar landings (which would require the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System to be ready).

LIFTOFF! TO THE MOON!
NASA’s Artemis II mission marks the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years. Four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — launched aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for… pic.twitter.com/dTiQMIhB1T

— Evelyn Janeidy (@JaneidyEve) April 1, 2026

The launch followed months of preparation, including earlier scrubs due to technical issues such as liquid hydrogen leaks and helium flow problems that delayed the mission from initial early 2026 targets into April. Teams at Kennedy Space Center conducted final countdown procedures smoothly today, with favorable weather (around 80% chance of good conditions) supporting the attempt.

Artemis II builds on the uncrewed Artemis I Orion test flight and represents a key step in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on and around the Moon, including eventual crewed landings near the lunar south pole. The mission also highlights international collaboration, with Hansen’s participation underscoring Canada’s contributions to the program.

Mission controllers will monitor the crew’s journey in real time, with Orion expected to separate from the SLS upper stage hours after launch and deploy its solar arrays. The astronauts will conduct system checks and observations during the voyage before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean upon return.

Today’s successful liftoff marks a historic milestone in renewed lunar exploration efforts by NASA and its partners.

Author’s note: Thanks for reading Cosmic Chronicles. Write your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have story suggestions or feedback, Direct Message me on social media 𝕏: Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo @JaneidyEve. Read the most recent stories featured below. Thank You.