NASA Schedules Artemis II Moon Launch for Early April
Get the Health newsletter
Daily health & science — research, biotech, public health, the studies worth knowing. Free.
- NASA began the countdown Monday for the first human Moon launch in 53 years.
- Space Launch System rocket, a 32‑story vehicle, is set to lift off Wednesday evening with a crew of four astronauts.
- Orion capsule will spend a day in Earth orbit before a rapid lunar flyby and a Pacific splashdown after nearly ten days.
- Charlie Blackwell‑Thompson, launch director, said the team is in “excellent, excellent shape” and the rocket is performing well after recent repairs.
- Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, highlighted the crew’s historic diversity—a woman, a person of color, and a non‑U.S. citizen—and urged young people of color to see themselves in space.
- NASA has a six‑day launch window in early April before pausing the mission until the end of the month.
Why it matters: The launch re‑establishes NASA’s capability to send humans beyond low‑Earth orbit after a series of technical delays, giving the agency a high‑profile demonstration of the Artemis program’s readiness while providing a visible role model for women, people of color and international partners.
