NASA officials on Tuesday outlined final preparations for the Artemis II mission during a pre-launch news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
by JESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News DeskIn this handout provided by NASA, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, left, Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, right, stop for a group photograph as they visit NASA's Artemis II SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, on March 30, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
NASA is aiming for an early April launch date for the first crewed moon mission in 50 years. They discussed the progress they've made on what will be the first crewed flight of the agency’s return-to-the-moon program in more than 50 years. Officials said the rocket is doing "really well" following the latest round of repairs, as earlier delays caused by hydrogen leaks and a helium system issue have been fixed. NASA said it has completed major testing, adding that there are no major technical obstacles remaining before launch. "Our team has been working amazingly hard through these weeks and months, trying to get this vehicle ready to where it is," Jeff Spaulding, who is one of two senior NASA test directors with the Exploration Ground Systems program, said during the briefing. "We've had some challenges. The team has done an outstanding job managing each and every one of those throughout all of this, through many different scenarios, through weather or through lots of different things that we've had to work through to try to get through all of this and get to where we are today," he added. Mission managers and engineers said testing of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft is complete, with teams focused on final safety checks and integration work ahead of the two-hour launch window. The Artemis II crew – mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of CSA , mission specialist Christina Koch, commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover – stand together after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The astronauts arrived to begin preparations for an April 1, 2026 launch for a 10-day mission, which will take them around the Moon and back to Earth. While teams are still monitoring space weather and atmospheric conditions closely, forecasters said the weather should cooperate, noting that they were about 80% favorable. Mark Burger, who is the launch weather officer, said everything is on track for liftoff during the launch period."There is nothing that is screaming a no-go for the entirety of the window," Burger said. After a day in orbit around Earth, their Orion capsule will propel them to the moon and back. There are no stops -- just a quick U-turn around the moon.“Our team has worked extremely hard to get us to this moment,” said launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson. "Certainly all indications are right now we are in excellent, excellent shape.” The lunar flyby mission will mark NASA’s first crewed journey beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo era. The flight is designed to test the spacecraft’s life support systems, navigation and performance in deep space before future missions attempt a lunar landing. Officials said the crew has been training extensively for the mission, including simulations of launch, deep-space operations and emergency scenarios. NASA emphasized that Artemis II is a critical step in its broader goal of establishing a sustained human presence on and around the moon, as well as preparing for eventual missions to Mars. The mission is expected to build on the success of Artemis I, an uncrewed test flight that orbited the moon and returned safely to Earth in 2022.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced changes to its class meeting schedule.Starting on Sept. 6,Sunday School, Relief Society, Elders QuoruTwo people were injured and two others were killed after a shooting during a domestic violence incident in Kearns.Unified Police Sgt. Aymee Race said officersThe Washington County District Attorney’s Office said Sheriff Nate Brooksby submitted his resignation hours after meeting with the commissioners’ office to addrE-bikes have become a growing problem for cities. Now, a new law taking effect in May 2026 aims to crack down.From speeding to reckless driving and property damWashington County Sheriff Nate Brooksby submitted his resignation and announced his retirement late last week.The Washington County Sheriff's Office said Brook
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Artemis 2 Set for Moon Flyby: NASA Eyes April 1 Launch DateNASA is preparing to launch the Artemis 2 mission, sending astronauts around the Moon. The launch window opens April 1, with weather conditions being the primary concern. The mission will test the Orion spacecraft and pave the way for future lunar missions.
Read more »
Apollo vs. Artemis: What to know about NASA's return to the moonThe Apollo moonshots are a tough act to follow, even after all this time.
Read more »
Artemis 2 moon mission latest news: NASA still targeting April 1 for launchTariq is the award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001. He covers human spaceflight, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.
Read more »
Apollo vs. Artemis: What to know about NASA's return to the moonAs four astronauts get set to blast off on humanity’s first trip to the moon in more than half a century, comparisons between Apollo and NASA’s new Artemis program are inevitable.
Read more »
Artemis 2 moon mission latest news: T-2 days to NASA's April 1 launchTariq is the award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001. He covers human spaceflight, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.
Read more »
'It's been going really,' NASA says while outlining plans ahead of Artemis II missionNASA officials are set to outline final preparations for the Artemis II mission during a pre-launch news conference at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday.
Read more »