Overview

• NASA set February 5, 2026 as the first launch opportunity for Artemis II within a February–April launch period.
• The approximately 10-day flight will loop Earth, pass about 10,000 kilometers from the Moon, and return to a splashdown in the eastern Pacific near San Diego after launching from Kennedy Space Center.
• The crew consists of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
• Officials emphasized that timelines may shift as preparations continue and astronaut safety remains the overriding factor.
• Artemis II is designed to validate Orion and the SLS ahead of Artemis III, which is planned for no earlier than 2027.