ARTEMIS II PRE-LAUNCH AND LAUNCH EVENTS, Mar 27-Apr 1, 2026, KSC

Update, March 27:  Sunday’s virtual media briefing with the astronauts in now at 11:30 am ET instead of 9:30 am ET.

Original Entry: NASA is planning to launch Artemis II, the first crewed launch around the Moon since the Apollo era, on April 1, 2026. Weather or technical issues could delay the launch, but the agency has released this list of events.

Briefings, events, and 24/7 mission coverage will stream on the agency’s YouTube channel, and events will each have their own stream closer to their start time. Dates are subject to change. Keep up to date on NASA’s website.

All dates and times are EDT.

Friday, March 27

• 2:30 p.m.: Agency leadership, including NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) President Lisa Campbell, and other leaders, will greet the astronauts as they arrive at NASA Kennedy. The Artemis II crew members will answer questions from media in attendance.

Sunday, March 29

• 9:30 a.m.: [update,  now 11:30 am ET] The Artemis II crew members will virtually answer reporters’ questions from their quarantine facility.

• 2 p.m.: NASA will hold a news conference to provide a status update for launch.

Monday, March 30

• 5 p.m.: Following a mission management meeting, NASA will host a news conference to provide an update on launch preparations.

Tuesday, March 31

• 1 p.m.: NASA will hold a prelaunch news conference.

Wednesday, April 1

• 7:45 a.m.: Coverage of tanking operations to load propellant into NASA’s (SLS) Space Launch System rocket begins, including views of the rocket and audio from a commentator.

• 12:50 p.m.: NASA+ coverage of launch begins. Coverage will continue on YouTube after Orion’s solar array wings deploy in space.

• Approximately two-and-a-half hours after launch, NASA will hold a postlaunch news conference after the SLS rocket’s upper stage performs a burn to send Orion and its crew to high Earth orbit.

A detailed countdown timeline is posted on NASA’s website as well.