CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The four astronauts assigned to NASA's Artemis II mission arrived Friday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin final preparations for the agency's first crewed flight around the moon in more than 50 years.
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch of NASA and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency flew from Houston's Johnson Space Center aboard T-38 training jets. They landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility and were greeted by NASA officials, including the agency's administrator. The crew has been in quarantine since mid-March to minimize health risks ahead of launch.
Artemis II is scheduled for liftoff no earlier than April 1 at 6:24 p.m. EDT aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft from Launch Complex 39B. The 10-day mission will send the crew on a free-return trajectory around the moon, reaching approximately 4,700 miles beyond the lunar far side before returning to Earth. It marks the first time humans have traveled beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
The astronauts will test Orion's life support systems, communication capabilities and other critical hardware in deep space. Hansen will become the first non-American astronaut to fly on a lunar mission as part of NASA's international partnerships under the Artemis program. Koch will be the first woman to travel to the vicinity of the moon, while Glover will be the first Black astronaut to do so.
The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft were rolled out to the launch pad earlier this week following repairs and weather-related delays. Engineers have conducted final checks on propellant loading systems and other ground infrastructure. Launch opportunities extend through early April if needed.
As of Saturday, the crew entered quarantine at the Kennedy Space Center's astronaut crew quarters. NASA continued pre-launch operations, including tanking tests and countdown rehearsals. Mission managers monitored weather forecasts and vehicle readiness for the targeted April 1 attempt, with backup dates available through April 6 and later in the month.
