What time is NASA’s Artemis 2 moon launch on April 1?

NASA’s long-anticipated Artemis 2 mission — the first crewed flight around the moon in more than half a century — could lift off as soon as April 1. But if you’re hoping to watch it live online, you’ll need to know when to tune in and for that, we’ve got you covered.

The Artemis 2 mission is currently scheduled to lift off at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 GMT) on April 1 aboard NASA’s powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. It will send four astronauts on a roughly 10-day journey around the moon and safely back to Earth on board the Orion capsule.

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Lego Icons NASA Artemis Space Launch System (10341)

What time is the Artemis 2 launch?

NASA is officially targeting Wednesday (April 1) for the launch of its Artemis 2 mission, with liftoff scheduled or 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 GMT) as we mentioned above. NASA has a 2-hour window for the launch, so it could lift off anytime between 6:24 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. EDT (2224-0024 April 2 GMT).

It should be a beautiful launch, weather permitting. If Artemis 2 launches on time, it will just about 88 minutes after sunset at its Cape Canaveral launch site.

But NASA has a few options if bad weather intervenes. The space agency has launch windows available daily from April 1 to April 6, and then again on April 30. The times, however, do change for each day. At the bottom of this page, we have a chart to help you with those dates and times.

NASA’s Artemis II Live Views from Kennedy Space Center – YouTube
NASA's Artemis II Live Views from Kennedy Space Center - YouTube

Watch On

Yes, you’ll be able to watch the Artemis 2 launch online. On April 1, NASA will have two major livestreams for you to watch. You’ll be able to watch them all here and on Space.com and our VideoFromSpace Youtube Channel.

NASA is also providing simulcasts on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services, as well as on its own website and NASA+ streaming service, and YouTube.

Here’s what to expect on launch day.

SLS rocket on the pad. As with other major launches, NASA is offering live views of the Artemis 2 stack at KSC ahead of liftoff, including a 24/7 livestream from the launch pad during key phases of prelaunch preparations.

In the days leading up to launch, NASA will also offer a series of press conferences and updates for the mission. Here’s what to expect.

Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon and establish a long-term presence there as a stepping stone toward future missions to Mars.

Artemis 2 will send its crew on a free-return trajectory around the moon. This flight path allows Orion spacecraft to loop behind the moon and use gravity to naturally guide the spacecraft back to Earth, while giving the astronauts an opportunity to test life-support systems, navigation, communications and deep-space operations. If all goes to plan, the first Artemis crewed lunar landing will occur in 2028, on the Artemis 4 mission.

The flight will spend a couple of days in orbit, take about four days to reach the moon and another four days to return.

Following liftoff, the SLS rocket will place Orion into Earth orbit before the capsule performs a burn that sends the spacecraft toward the moon. During the journey, the crew will conduct a series of checkouts and demonstrations designed to validate Orion’s systems for future lunar landing missions.

After looping around the moon, Orion will return to Earth and splash down in the Pacific Ocean, concluding NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

four astronauts flying on Artemis 2 are Reid Wiseman, who will serve as commander; Victor Glover, the mission’s pilot; and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. All work for NASA except Hansen, who is with the Canadian Space Agency.

Koch will become the first woman to travel to the moon’s vicinity, Glover will be the first person of color to do so, and Hansen the first non-American.

On Sunday, March 29, Space.com will have a special report on the Artemis 2 crew, so be sure to return then for detailed biographies of the four astronauts.

What if Artemis 2 can’t launch on April 1?

NASA rolls out the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17, 2026. — The Artemis 2 rocket and Orion spacecraft on the launch pad. (Image credit: NASA/Brandon Hancock)

While NASA is hoping to launch Artemis 2 on April 1, technical issues and bad weather could spoil the show. There is some flexibility in the launch time, but only two hours or so.

But if Artemis 2 is unable to launch on time, NASA does have some backup launch dates available. NASA officials have said Artemis 2 has launch opportunities every day between April 1 and April 6, but due to the sheer size of the SLS rocket and its fuel needs, the space agency can attempt a launch up to four times within that six-day window.

Another launch opportunity is available on April 30, but NASA is hoping not to have to wait that long to fly. The space agency has said it has other launch windows in May, June and the rest of the year, but has not yet released those windows.

Here is a look at the launch opportunities and timing for Artemis 2 as it currently stands.

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Artemis2 launch windows for April 2026
Date	Time (EDT)	Time (GMT)	Lighting (sunrise/sunset)	Window length (minutes)
April 1	6:24 p.m. EDT	2224 GMT	1.28 hours before sunset	120
April 2	7:22 p.m. EDT	2322 GMT	0.32 hours before sunset	120
April 3	8 p.m. EDT	0000 April 4 GMT	0.30 hours after sunset	120
April 4	8:53 p.m. EDT	0053 April 5 GMT	1.17 hours after sunset	120
April 5	9:40 p.m. EDT	0140 April 6 GMT	1.95 hours after sunset	120
April 6	10:36 p.m. EDT	0236 April 7 GMT	2.87 hours after sunset	120
April 30	6:06 p.m. EDT	2206 GMT	1.86 hours aftger sunset	120

As always with spaceflight, launch timing is subject to change due to weather or technical considerations, and Space.com will provide updates on this page as new information becomes available.

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