How To Watch The Artemis II Moon Launch Today

For the first time since 1972, humankind is returning to the Moon. On April 1, 2026, Artemis II is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center, which could signal a new era of spaceflight advancement. There have been a few setbacks and delays for this launch, but as of Wednesday morning, all systems appear to be go for the launch.

Here’s how to watch the Artemis II launch today live, plus what to know about the crew and the goals of this new NASA mission to orbit the Moon.

How to Stream the Artemis II Launch

Artemis II is set to blast off from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, at 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time. The launch and pre-launch will be streamed live from the free NASA+ app and YouTube channel. This NASA+ app works with most smart TVs and Roku.

Coverage begins at 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time, which will include all the pre-launch checks as well as background on the nature of the mission. If this launch is going to be scrubbed, that will be made apparent very soon.

Artemis II Mission and Crew

The crew of Artemis II consists of:

• Reid Wiseman, Commander
• Victor Glover, Pilot
• Christina Koch, Mission Specialist 1
• Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist 2

The primary goal of Artemis II is to orbit the Moon and return to Earth. This is a proof-of-concept mission that sets the stage for Artemis IV, the next Moon landing in 2027. Testing the Orion spacecraft system is the primary goal of Artemis II, but the actual part of the Moon that the crew will fly over has never been explored before. The crucial detail: The crew will fly over the far side of the Moon, the portion of the Moon not visible from Earth.

The entire mission will last roughly 10 days, from launch to the return to Earth. The lunar flyby is expected to occur on the sixth day of the mission, likely on April 7.

This story was last updated at 08:10 a.m. on April 1, 2026.