Orion

Preview: NASA to unveil Artemis 3 crew, provide updates on mission

June 9, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will be a low Earth orbit rendezvous between the Orion spacecraft and one or both of the Human Landing System landers: Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 and SpaceX’s Starship.

Launch preview: NASA to launch Artemis 2, its first Moon-bound mission with astronauts since 1972

April 1, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The four astronauts will spend more than nine days onboard their Orion spacecraft and is poised to pass the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39B is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 UTC).

NASA returns its SLS rocket back to the launch pad ahead of planned April flight of Artemis 2

March 19, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The rollout of the 322-foot-tall rocket took fewer than 12 hours after first motion, which occurred at about 12:20 a.m. EDT (0420 UTC). NASA hopes to launch the crewed test flight to the Moon no earlier than April 1.

NASA ready for another shot at launching Artemis 2 moon mission

March 13, 2026 William Harwood

At the conclusion of a two-day flight readiness review, “all the teams polled ‘go’ to launch and fly Artemis 2 around the moon, pending completion of some of the work before we roll out to the launch pad,” said Lori Glaze, associate administrator of Exploration Systems Development at NASA Headquarters.

SLS rocket hauled back to VAB for repairs

February 25, 2026 William Harwood

A 6.6-million-pound Apollo-era crawler-transporter rolled up the ramp to pad 38B on Tuesday and was positioned directly under the 3.5-million-pound Space Launch System rocket and its 11.3-million-pound mobile launch platform.

NASA waves off February launch for Artemis II moon mission; now targeting early March

February 3, 2026 William Harwood

Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, in pre-flight medical quarantine at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, had hope to fly to Florida Tuesday to begin final preparations for launch. Instead, they will remain in Houston and rejoin family, friends and co-workers.

Preview: NASA to unveil Artemis 3 crew, provide updates on mission

Launch preview: NASA to launch Artemis 2, its first Moon-bound mission with astronauts since 1972

NASA returns its SLS rocket back to the launch pad ahead of planned April flight of Artemis 2

NASA ready for another shot at launching Artemis 2 moon mission

SLS rocket hauled back to VAB for repairs

NASA waves off February launch for Artemis II moon mission; now targeting early March

Countdown underway for critical moon rocket fueling test Monday

Orion hatch ‘blemish’ delays launch day rehearsal for Artemis 2 astronauts

Orion spacecraft arrives at VAB ahead of stacking for Artemis 2

Proposed 24 percent cut to NASA budget eliminates key Artemis architecture, climate research