The Artemis II mission is officially underway, marking a monumental return to deep space for the first time in over 50 years. Following a successful launch from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the Orion spacecraft and its crew are currently transiting toward the Moon.
Mission Status & Key Milestones
As of April 3, 2026, the mission has successfully transitioned from Earth orbit to its deep-space trajectory:
Translunar Injection (TLI): On the evening of April 2, Orion “aced” a critical 5-minute, 49-second engine burn. This maneuver provided the necessary velocity to escape Earth’s gravity and begin the four-day journey to the lunar environment.
Current Location: The spacecraft is currently on the “outbound coast” phase, approaching the halfway point between Earth and the Moon.
Early Challenges: The crew successfully navigated a few minor technical hurdles during the first 24 hours, including troubleshooting a controller issue with the spacecraft’s toilet and managing unexpectedly cold cabin temperatures by layering up with extra flight gear.
The “Home” View: NASA recently released a striking “rear-view” photo taken by the crew, showing Earth as a “shimmering sapphire” receding into the distance—the first time this perspective has been captured by human eyes since 1972.
The Historic Crew
The four-person crew is conducting the first crewed test of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion capsule’s life-support systems:
Role Astronaut Milestone
Commander Reid Wiseman (NASA) Leading the first piloted moonshot of the 21st century.
Pilot Victor Glover (NASA) First Black man to travel to the lunar vicinity.
Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA) First woman to travel to the lunar vicinity.
Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (CSA) First non-American (Canadian) to leave Earth orbit.
What’s Next?
The mission follows a “free-return” trajectory, meaning the Moon’s gravity will naturally pull the spacecraft back toward Earth without requiring a major engine burn for the return trip.
Lunar Flyby (April 6, 2026): Orion will loop around the far side of the Moon at an altitude of approximately 4,600 miles. During this time, the crew is expected to break the distance record from Earth set by Apollo 13.
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The Journey Home: After the flyby, the crew will begin a four-day return trip.
Splashdown (April 10/11, 2026): The mission will conclude with a high-velocity reentry into Earth’s atmosphere (approx. 25,000 mph) and a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
This 10-day flight is the final testing ground before Artemis III, which is currently slated for 2028 to return humans—including the first woman and person of color—to the lunar surface.