NASA sets coverage for Artemis II, first crewed Moon mission under Artemis program

• Artemis II crew members (from left) CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman walk out of Astronaut Crew Quarters inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to the Artemis crew transportation vehicles prior to traveling to Launch Pad 39B as part of an integrated ground systems test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 20, 2023, to test the crew timeline for launch day. (NASA/Kim Shiflett)

NASA is rolling out full mission coverage plans for Artemis II, its first crewed flight under the Artemis program, as the agency moves toward a targeted launch window starting April 1.

The mission will carry four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft for an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon, marking a key step in returning humans to deep space. The crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

According to NASA, a series of prelaunch briefings, countdown activities, and mission updates will be streamed online, alongside continuous coverage during the flight. Public and media audiences can follow events through NASA’s YouTube channel and other digital platforms, with individual streams scheduled closer to each activity.

The launch is planned from Kennedy Space Center in Florida within a two-hour window opening at 6:24 p.m. EDT, with additional opportunities extending through April 6 if needed.

Artemis II is designed as a test mission, focusing on validating the Orion spacecraft’s systems with astronauts onboard, including its life support capabilities. The flight will also help establish operational readiness for future missions that aim to land humans on the Moon.

NASA said real-time coverage will continue throughout the mission, including live views from Orion as bandwidth allows and daily status briefings from its Johnson Space Center in Houston. The crew is also expected to participate in live downlink conversations during the flight.

The agency will also provide mission updates through its Artemis blog, along with tracking tools and multimedia releases, as part of efforts to make deep space missions more accessible to the public.

Artemis II is positioned as a foundational step in NASA’s broader push toward sustained lunar exploration and future crewed missions to Mars.