Artemis II mission assessments and future planning
The Artemis II mission concluded on April 10, 2026, with the Orion capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, safely returning the four-person crew to Earth after setting a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth. As of April 14, 2026: NASA is assessing hardware, investigating a urine vent line issue, and implementing corrective actions for Artemis III. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will share mission details at a press conference on April 16, 2026. The mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, achieved objectives including a lunar flyby, observing lunar features, and witnessing an 'unreal' solar eclipse.
Timeline
Want updates on this thread?
Track this storyTimeline of developments
April 2026 — 10 developments
Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will share deta…
Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will share details of their historic lunar flyby mission at a NASA press conference on April 16, 2026. The crew successfully returned to Earth on April 10, 2026, after setting a new record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.
NASA is continuing to assess hardware from the Artemis II mission, investigating an issue with a urine vent line and implementing corrective actions for Artemis III.
NASA is continuing to assess hardware from the Artemis II mission, investigating an issue with a urine vent line and implementing corrective actions for Artemis III. The agency is analyzing data from Orion's re-entry and splashdown as it prepares for future lunar surface missions.
The Artemis II mission concluded on April 10, 2026, with the Orion capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, safely returning the four-person crew to Earth.
The Artemis II mission concluded on April 10, 2026, with the Orion capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, safely returning the four-person crew to Earth. The mission achieved its objectives, including traveling farther from Earth than any humans in history and being the first to see certain parts of the Moon's far side with the naked eye.
The Artemis II mission has successfully completed its lunar flyby and is en route back to Earth, setting a new record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth.
The Artemis II mission has successfully completed its lunar flyby and is en route back to Earth, setting a new record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth. The crew witnessed an 'unreal' solar eclipse and saw parts of the Moon's far side with the naked eye for the first time. The Orion spacecraft experienced a planned loss of contact for approximately 40 minutes as it passed behind the Moon's far side.
The Artemis II mission has completed its lunar flyby and surpassed the Apollo 13 distance record, reaching approximately 252,760 miles from Earth.
The Artemis II mission has completed its lunar flyby and surpassed the Apollo 13 distance record, reaching approximately 252,760 miles from Earth. The crew also proposed names for two lunar craters, "Integrity" and "Carroll."
The Artemis II mission is approaching its lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, with the crew observing lunar features and scouting potential landing zones.
The Artemis II mission is approaching its lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, with the crew observing lunar features and scouting potential landing zones. The mission is also anticipated to break the record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth by a human mission, surpassing Apollo 13.
The Artemis II crew has successfully completed their translunar injection burn, propelling them towards the Moon.
The Artemis II crew has successfully completed their translunar injection burn, propelling them towards the Moon. The Orion spacecraft, named "Integrity," is performing well, and the mission is expected to set records for the farthest distance from Earth.
Artemis II astronauts successfully troubleshooted an issue with the Orion spacecraft's toilet and pilot Victor Glover took manual control to test maneuverability.
Artemis II astronauts successfully troubleshooted an issue with the Orion spacecraft's toilet and pilot Victor Glover took manual control to test maneuverability. These operational checks occurred after the mission's April 1st launch.
The Artemis II mission has successfully completed its perigee and apogee raise maneuvers, and the Orion spacecraft's solar arrays have fully deployed.
The Artemis II mission has successfully completed its perigee and apogee raise maneuvers, and the Orion spacecraft's solar arrays have fully deployed. The crew reported a blinking fault light on the toilet during operational checks, and a temporary communications loss was quickly resolved.
The Artemis II mission successfully launched on April 1, 2026, with four astronauts embarking on a 10-day journey around the Moon.
The Artemis II mission successfully launched on April 1, 2026, with four astronauts embarking on a 10-day journey around the Moon. This marks the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since 1972, despite a brief issue with a safety system. The mission aims to test systems for future lunar landings planned for 2028.
March 2026 — 6 developments
NASA has given the Artemis II mission a green light following its flight readiness review, with an 80% chance of favorable weather for its targeted launch on April 1, 2026.
NASA has given the Artemis II mission a green light following its flight readiness review, with an 80% chance of favorable weather for its targeted launch on April 1, 2026. The countdown commenced on March 30, 2026, for the ten-day lunar flyby mission carrying four astronauts.
The Artemis II crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026, to finalize preparations for their approximately 10-day journey around the Moon.
The Artemis II crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026, to finalize preparations for their approximately 10-day journey around the Moon. NASA recently conducted an unannounced test to verify newly replaced seals on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket's liquid hydrogen tank. The launch remains targeted for April 1, 2026.
NASA moved the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B on March 20, 2026, targeting an April 1, 2026, launch.
NASA moved the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B on March 20, 2026, targeting an April 1, 2026, launch. The mission's crew has been announced, including NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), and Christina Koch (Mission Specialist), along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist). This mission will be the first crewed flight of the Artemis program and the first human spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo era.
NASA will hold a press conference on March 12, 2026, to provide an update following the Artemis II Flight Readiness Review.
NASA will hold a press conference on March 12, 2026, to provide an update following the Artemis II Flight Readiness Review. The agency is targeting a potential launch in April 2026. This briefing will offer insights into the mission's readiness after previous delays.
NASA has successfully repaired a helium flow issue in the Artemis II rocket, resolving a problem that had previously caused delays.
NASA has successfully repaired a helium flow issue in the Artemis II rocket, resolving a problem that had previously caused delays. Engineers fixed a dislodged seal in the rocket's upper stage, allowing preparations to resume for a potential April 1, 2026, launch. This mission will be the first to send a woman and a Black man to the Moon.
NASA has resolved a helium flow issue in the Artemis II rocket, allowing for a potential early March launch.
NASA has resolved a helium flow issue in the Artemis II rocket, allowing for a potential early March launch. The Artemis II crew has entered quarantine in preparation for the mission, which aims to send four astronauts around the Moon. While previous reports indicated delays until late 2026 due to solar activity, the repairs keep an April 1, 2026, launch target alive.
February 2026 — 14 developments
NASA has announced a significant overhaul of its Artemis program, adding a new mission in 2027 and delaying the first crewed lunar landing to 2028, now slated for Artemis IV.
NASA has announced a significant overhaul of its Artemis program, adding a new mission in 2027 and delaying the first crewed lunar landing to 2028, now slated for Artemis IV. The Artemis III mission will now focus on testing systems in low Earth orbit with commercial landers. These changes come as the Artemis II mission faces further delays due to a helium flow issue.
NASA's Artemis II rocket has been rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs due to a helium flow issue, delaying the launch to at least April 2026.
NASA's Artemis II rocket has been rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs due to a helium flow issue, delaying the launch to at least April 2026. A new analysis suggests a further delay until late 2026 might be necessary due to increased solar activity posing radiation risks to astronauts.
NASA has announced a significant overhaul of its Artemis program, introducing an additional mission in 2027 and revising lunar landing timelines with a new target of 2028.
NASA has announced a significant overhaul of its Artemis program, introducing an additional mission in 2027 and revising lunar landing timelines with a new target of 2028. This update aims to increase launch frequency and reduce risk, alongside ongoing efforts to address technical issues with the Artemis II mission.
NASA has announced a significant overhaul of its Artemis program, including an accelerated mission cadence and revised lunar landing timelines.
NASA has announced a significant overhaul of its Artemis program, including an accelerated mission cadence and revised lunar landing timelines. Additionally, new analysis suggests the Artemis II mission may face further delays until late 2026 due to increased solar activity posing radiation risks to astronauts.
NASA will host a media conference on February 27, 2026, to discuss the upcoming work for the Artemis II test flight and provide a broader update on the Artemis campaign.
NASA will host a media conference on February 27, 2026, to discuss the upcoming work for the Artemis II test flight and provide a broader update on the Artemis campaign. Leadership, including NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, will be present. This follows the rollback of the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs due to a helium flow issue.
NASA's Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft began rolling back from Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle …
NASA's Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft began rolling back from Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building on February 25, 2026, to diagnose and fix a helium flow issue in the rocket's upper stage. The rollback journey is expected to take up to 12 hours. This issue has caused further delays to the mission, which aims to send four astronauts around the Moon.
NASA is rolling back the Artemis II moon rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to a helium system issue on the rocket's upper stage.
NASA is rolling back the Artemis II moon rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to a helium system issue on the rocket's upper stage. This action will delay the launch until no earlier than April 2026. The Artemis II crew was released from quarantine on February 21, 2026.
NASA is preparing to roll its Artemis II moon rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to a helium system issue on the rocket's upper stage.
NASA is preparing to roll its Artemis II moon rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to a helium system issue on the rocket's upper stage. This rollback, scheduled to begin as early as February 24, 2026, will delay the launch until no earlier than April 2026. NASA is targeting early Wednesday, February 25, 2026, for the rollback due to weather concerns.
NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, is now targeting no earlier than April 2026 for its launch.
NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, is now targeting no earlier than April 2026 for its launch. This delay is due to an issue with the flow of helium to the rocket's upper stage, which requires the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to be rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs. The mission was previously targeting a March 2026 launch window.
NASA is targeting March 6, 2026, as the earliest launch date for the Artemis II mission, sending astronauts around the moon.
NASA is targeting March 6, 2026, as the earliest launch date for the Artemis II mission, sending astronauts around the moon. This announcement follows the successful completion of a second "wet dress rehearsal" on February 19, where the Space Launch System rocket was fueled and taken through a launch countdown. The astronauts are also entering pre-flight medical quarantine.
NASA announced that the Artemis II crew would begin quarantine in Houston, a standard practice to ensure their health before the mission.
NASA announced that the Artemis II crew would begin quarantine in Houston, a standard practice to ensure their health before the mission. The earliest potential launch date for Artemis II was set for March 6, 2026.
The second wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission concluded successfully, with engineers con…
The second wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission concluded successfully, with engineers confirming they had successfully fueled the Space Launch System rocket and demonstrated the launch countdown at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Following the first wet dress rehearsal, NASA technicians replaced two seals to address a hydrogen l…
Following the first wet dress rehearsal, NASA technicians replaced two seals to address a hydrogen leak and swapped out a ground support equipment filter after a partial fueling test revealed restricted hydrogen flow.
The first wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II concluded.
The first wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II concluded. Issues with a liquid hydrogen leak and a valve associated with the Orion crew module hatch pressurization were identified, leading to a postponement of the launch from early February to March 2026.
January 2026 — 1 developments
NASA held a Mission Overview news conference, announcing that the Artemis II mission was expected to last ten days.
NASA held a Mission Overview news conference, announcing that the Artemis II mission was expected to last ten days. The rocket was scheduled to roll out to the Kennedy Space Center the following day for setup on the launchpad.
January 2024 — 1 developments
NASA announced schedule adjustments for Artemis II and III, targeting September 2025 for Artemis II and September 2026 for Artemis III.
NASA announced schedule adjustments for Artemis II and III, targeting September 2025 for Artemis II and September 2026 for Artemis III. These adjustments were made to address challenges in first-time developments and operations, prioritizing crew safety.
November 2022 — 1 developments
Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission tested the safety and performance of the Orion spacecraft in deep space, orbiting the Moon.