Orion Artemis II Mission Update:
Lifting off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 1. The mission will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on an approximately 10‑day journey, flying around the Moon on Monday, April 6, and returning home to Earth with splashdown on Friday, April 10.
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Previous updates below…
Lockheed Martin has completed assembly and testing of NASA’s Orion Artemis II spacecraft, transferring possession to NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team. This milestone is a significant step for NASA and the Artemis industry team, as they prepare to launch a crew of four astronauts to further the agency’s mission in establishing a human presence on the moon for exploration and scientific discovery.
It will also help build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Next Steps
With the completion of Orion, the EGS team will perform final preparations on the spacecraft, readying it for launch. Orion will soon be moved from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to various processing facilities. This is where EGS will load propellants and other consumables, such as water and oxygen, and install the launch abort system and its protective fairings. Upon completion, it will then be transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building, lifted onto the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and undergo final preparations for launch.
Artemis II: Four astronauts will venture around the Moon and back – covering 4,600 miles – to Earth on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The 10-day flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the SLS rocket, and Orion spacecraft – for the first time with astronauts.
Meet the Crew
Scheduled to launch in early 2026, Artemis II and the Orion spacecraft will host NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch.
Read About the Unique Test Systems Team Corporation Delivered for NASA
NASA’s Orion: From 2016 Testing to the 2022 Launch of Artemis I
Detailed Mission Flight Plan Infographics
