Nasa Artemis

Follow latest updates, including how to watch the launch, as four astronauts prepare to set off on a 685,000-mile journey with millions watchingA two-hour launch window for Artemis II opens at 6.24pm EST (11.24pm BST) after an almost four-hour fueling process. Nasa’s final weather briefing on Tuesday reported an 80% chance of favorable conditions for launch.Mission managers will be watching closely data from launchpad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, as well as real-time and forecast weather information. Any last-minute technical issue or weather violation can cause a scrubbed launch attempt, or a delay, right up to T-0 (the moment the countdown clock reaches zero). Continue reading...

Fully crewed rocket will head to moon from Florida – first time since 1972 that humans will have left lower Earth orbitA little more than an hour before sunset on Florida’s space coast, up to 400,000 people packed on beaches and causeways will look to the heavens on Wednesday to witness a fiery spectacle not seen in almost 54 years: a fully crewed Nasa rocket heading back to the moon.The launch of Artemis II, scheduled for 6.24pm ET if weather and any late technical gremlins grant their consent, marks the first time since the Apollo 17 mission of December 1972 that humans will have left lower Earth orbit. Continue reading...

• NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, has cleared its final hurdle and remains on track for launch no earlier than April 1, 2026. • The mission will send four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch—on a 10-day orbital test around the Moon, validating systems for future lunar landings. • This milestone follows rigorous technical reviews, ensuring crew safety and vehicle performance after lessons from uncrewed Artemis I in 2022.

• NASA announced revisions to its lunar exploration plans, delaying the first crewed Artemis IV landing to early 2028 while pausing the Gateway lunar station to prioritize a surface base. • The International Space Station's retirement is postponed to the mid-2030s, with plans to add detachable modules for a future standalone station, facing pushback from private space firms. • NASA will launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear engine demonstration to Mars, scheduled for December 2028 to test advanced propulsion.

• NASA announced an accelerated timeline for America's return to the lunar surface, with Artemis 4 lunar landing attempts beginning in 2028. • The National Space Policy implementation includes preparations for establishing a moon base and increased mission cadence under NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's leadership. • This ambitious plan reflects commitment to sustained lunar exploration and positions the United States to never relinquish moon dominance while advancing toward Mars missions.

• NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis 2 mission began rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B on March 20, 2026, targeting first motion at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT). • The four Artemis 2 astronauts entered quarantine at Johnson Space Center in Houston on March 18 at 6 p.m. EDT, limiting exposure before heading to Kennedy Space Center five days prior to launch. • Rollout addresses a helium flow issue in the rocket's upper stage, with teams planning to install access platforms, replace batteries in the flight termination system, and retest components upon return to the VAB if needed.

Moon orbit program, preceding planned landing in 2028, has been delayed due to fuel leaks and clogged helium linesFor the second time this year, Nasa moved its moon rocket from the hangar out toward the launchpad on Friday in hopes of sending four astronauts on a lunar fly-around next month.If the latest repairs work and everything else goes Nasa’s way, the Space Launch System could blast off as early as 1 April from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The Artemis II crew went into quarantine this week in Houston in preparation for blastoff. Continue reading...