Watch live: Artemis II crew set to launch as NASA eyes return to moon

The Hill
by The Hill Staff
April 1, 2026
3 min read

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NASA's Artemis II crewed lunar mission launched with four astronauts for a 10-day test flight.

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NASA's Artemis II test flight launched Wednesday with a four-person crew—U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, plus Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—aboard for a 10-day mission orbiting the moon. This marks the first crewed lunar voyage in more than 50 years and serves as a critical test run before NASA attempts to land astronauts on the lunar surface under the broader Artemis program. The mission validates the rocket, spacecraft, and life-support systems that will be essential for future moon landings. Success on Artemis II is a prerequisite for the agency's goal of returning humans to the moon's surface in the coming years, reinforcing U.S. commitment to sustained lunar exploration.

What's Being Done

NASA launched Artemis II with a four-person crew on a 10-day lunar orbit mission to test systems before attempting a moon landing.

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