Kennedy Space Center, United States – A NASA Space Launch System rocket blasted off on April 1, 2026, from Launch Complex 39B, carrying the Artemis II mission into space with four astronauts on board.

The crew includes NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.

Following liftoff, the mission begins a test flight designed to take astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth, marking the first crewed journey beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years.

During the mission, the Orion spacecraft will test its life support systems with astronauts aboard, as part of preparations for future crewed Artemis missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon.

The flight is expected to last about 10 days and represents a critical step in advancing human space exploration beyond Earth.

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