NASA's Artemis II mission readies for historic moonshot
NASA has started rolling its massive SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft toward the Kennedy Space Center launch pad, getting everything set for Artemis II, the first crewed mission of this program, targeting a launch window that opens April 1, 2026.
It's a big step in sending people around the moon again.
Meet the crew
Four astronauts are suiting up: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch (all from NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (from Canada).
Their 10-day trip will take them on two orbits around Earth before looping past the far side of the moon, coming within about 8,000km, before splashing down in the Pacific.
It's not a landing, but it's still historic.
Technical issues delayed the launch
Getting here wasn't easy. Technical hiccups like helium issues pushed things back and wiped out March launch hopes.
Now, liftoff is targeted for April 1, with backup windows through early and late April if needed.