Trending Now - Nasa's Artemis 2 Moon Rocket Rolls Back to Launch Pad for April 1 Liftoff

WHO:

NASA's Artemis II crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

NASA

Reid Wiseman (Artemis II commander)

Victor Glover (astronaut)

Christina Koch (astronaut)

Jeremy Hansen (Canadian astronaut, Canadian Space Agency)

WHAT:

The Artemis II rocket and its mobile launch platform were transported for a 4-mile trip to launch pad 39B, taking approximately 11 hours due to high winds.

The Artemis II mission will involve a ten-day flight around the moon, with a planned launch time of 6:24 p.m. on April 1, 2026, during a two-hour launch window.

The Artemis II rocket weighs 5,000 tonnes.

The Artemis II mission will now involve a ten-day flight around the moon, rather than the previously stated nine-day flight.

The Artemis II rocket and its mobile launch platform will be transported for a 4-mile trip to launch pad 39B, taking up to 12 hours.

The Artemis II mission will now involve a ten-day flight around the moon, rather than the previously stated nine-day flight.

The Artemis II rocket is expected to start its trip to the launch pad on March 19, 2026, at around 8 p.m. EDT.

The planned launch time is 6:24 p.m. on April 1, 2026, with a two-hour launch window.

If the flight does not launch by April 6, 2026, it will be delayed by approximately three weeks.

NASA has resolved earlier problems and repairs that required a follow-on fueling test, and the next time the SLS rocket is loaded with propellants will be for the actual launch.

The Artemis II mission will now involve a ten-day flight around the moon, rather than the previously stated nine-day flight.

NASA is preparing the Artemis II moon rocket for a launch on April 1, 2026.

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a nine-day flight around the moon and back.

The Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is 332 feet tall.

The rocket will carry more than 750,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen propellants.

The flight will be the first time astronauts have flown atop an SLS rocket and aboard an Orion crew capsule.

The Artemis II crew will check the spacecraft's propulsion, navigation, communications, and life support systems on their first full day in space.

The flight will mark the first piloted moon mission since the last Apollo crew landed on the moon in 1972.

The launch was originally planned for early February 2026 but was delayed due to hydrogen fuel leaks and helium-flow interruptions.

WHERE:

NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB)

Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Pacific Ocean (splashdown location)

WHEN:

The Artemis II crew went into pre-flight medical quarantine on March 18, 2026.

The Artemis II rocket began its trip to the launch pad on March 19, 2026, at around 8 p.m. EDT, and completed the journey by March 20, 2026, at 11:21 a.m. EDT.

The Artemis II crew plans to fly to the Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026.

The Artemis II rocket is expected to start its trip to the launch pad on March 19, 2026, at around 8 p.m. EDT.

The Artemis II crew went into pre-flight medical quarantine on March 18, 2026, and plan to fly to the Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026.

The Artemis II rocket is expected to start its trip to the launch pad on March 19, 2026, at around 8 p.m. EDT.

The planned launch time is 6:24 p.m. on April 1, 2026.

The mission has a deadline to launch by April 6, 2026, or it will be delayed by three weeks.

WHY:

The launch was delayed due to issues with hydrogen fuel leaks and helium-flow interruptions that needed to be resolved before the mission could proceed.

HOW:

Engineers replaced batteries in the rocket's flight termination system on the solid rocket boosters, core stage, and upper stage during prelaunch preparations.

Engineers replaced seals in the quick-disconnect fitting and batteries in the self-destruct system during repairs at the Vehicle Assembly Building.

The helium issue was traced to out-of-place seals in a quick-disconnect fitting and was quickly repaired.

Engineers replaced seals in a quick-disconnect fitting and batteries in the self-destruct system during repairs at the Vehicle Assembly Building.

The Artemis II rocket was transported on a powerful Apollo-era crawler-transporter for a 4-mile trip to the launch pad, taking up to 12 hours.

Engineers replaced seals in the quick-disconnect fitting and batteries in the self-destruct system during repairs at the Vehicle Assembly Building.

The Artemis II rocket was transported on a powerful Apollo-era crawler-transporter for a 4-mile trip to the launch pad, taking up to 12 hours.

Engineers conducted repairs on the rocket, including replacing seals in the quick-disconnect fitting and batteries in the self-destruct system.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 19:15 UTC)

The Artemis II crew entered pre-flight medical quarantine on March 18, 2026, as preparations ramped up for their upcoming mission. The rocket was transported to launch pad 39B on March 19, taking about 11 hours to complete the four-mile journey due to high winds, and it arrived early this morning. With a planned launch time of 6:24 p.m. on April 1, the Artemis II mission will involve a ten-day flight around the moon, and engineers have been busy replacing batteries in the rocket's flight termination system as part of the prelaunch preparations.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 13:19 UTC)

The Artemis II mission is set to fly to the Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026, after the rocket begins its journey to launch pad 39B this evening at around 8 p.m. EDT. This mission will now include a ten-day flight around the moon, extending from the previously planned nine days, as engineers have successfully addressed a helium issue by replacing seals in the quick-disconnect fitting and batteries in the self-destruct system. The rocket and its mobile launch platform will make a four-mile trip to the launch pad, which is expected to take up to 12 hours.

(UPDATED March 20, 2026 07:19 UTC)

NASA's Artemis II mission is set to feature a crew that includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, and will now involve a ten-day flight around the moon instead of the previously planned nine days. The rocket is expected to begin its journey to the launch pad on March 19 at around 8 p.m. EDT, with a planned launch time of 6:24 p.m. on April 1, and if it doesn't launch by April 6, it will face a delay of about three weeks. Engineers have completed repairs by replacing seals and batteries, and the rocket was transported to the launch pad using a powerful Apollo-era crawler-transporter, taking nearly 12 hours for the four-mile trip.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 23:10 UTC)

NASA is gearing up for the Artemis II mission, with the rocket expected to start its journey to the launch pad today at around 8 p.m. EDT. The crew entered pre-flight medical quarantine yesterday and will head to the Kennedy Space Center on March 27, while engineers have successfully completed repairs, including replacing seals and batteries, allowing for the next fueling to be for the actual launch. Additionally, the mission will now feature a ten-day flight around the moon, extending from the previously planned nine days.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 21:13 UTC)

NASA is gearing up for the Artemis II moon mission, with the rocket expected to start its journey to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center tonight at around 8 p.m. EDT, ahead of its planned launch on April 1. This mission will send four astronauts, including Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a nine-day flight around the moon, marking the first piloted moon mission since Apollo in 1972. The launch was initially scheduled for early February but faced delays due to issues with hydrogen fuel leaks and helium-flow interruptions that needed to be resolved before proceeding.