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The Artemis II crew lifted off at 6:35 p.m. ET.
Last Updated: April 1, 2026, 8:55 PM EDT
NASA's Artemis II mission lifted off on April 1 at 6:35 p.m. ET from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The four-person crew will go on a 685,000-mile, 10-day journey around the moon, also known as a lunar fly-by.
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Here's how the news is developing.
Apr 1, 5:59 am
What to know about NASA's Artemis II moon mission
Artemis II will make history, taking astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. The four-person crew will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, for a 10-day journey.
The trip will pave the way for future Artemis missions intended to eventually see astronauts set foot on the moon, and the building of a permanent lunar base.
ABC News
Read more here about what you need to know regarding the Artemis II mission, including how long it will take, who the astronauts are and how to watch.
Apr 01, 2026, 8:45 PM EDT
Artemis II crew enters high Earth orbit
The Artemis II crew has entered high Earth orbit about two hours after lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center.
The crew will spend about a day in orbit testing Orion's systems. If everything is operating properly, Orion will be instructed on Thursday to perform the translunar injection burn, which will send the crew and spacecraft along their path to the moon.
NASA said high Earth orbit extends "about 46,000 miles beyond Earth."
-ABC News' Briana Alvarado
Apr 01, 2026, 8:31 PM EDT
NASA administrator says astronauts in 'great spirits'
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Artemis II marked America's "grand return to the moon" during a Wednesday evening news conference.
Isaacman said NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover Jr. and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, "are safe. They're secure, and they're in great spirits."
"We will continue to monitor their health and status as we move into the next phase of the Artemis II mission," he continued. "You have our commitment to keep the public as informed as possible on this historic mission.
"We will hold our celebration until this crew is under parachutes and splashes down off the West Coast," Isaacman said.
Isaacman said about 51 minutes into the flight, during a planned handover between satellites, there was a temporary loss of communications with the ground team not able to receive data from the crew or spacecraft. However, he said communications have since been restored.
Apr 01, 2026, 7:36 PM EDT
Artemis II launch in photos
NASA's Artemis II mission launched on Wednesday evening, beginning the crew's 685,000-mile, 10-day journey to and from the moon.
The Orion spacecraft will loop astronauts around the moon and go farther into deep space than humans have ever traveled.
Here's a look at the launch in photos:
NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters
NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Joe Skipper/Reuters
NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
People observe the launch of Artemis II from the A. Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville, Fla., on April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Gerardo Mora/Getty Images
The Space Launch System rocket carrying NASA's Artemis II Orion crew capsule ascends after liftoff, with its solid rocket boosters already detached, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, April 1, 2026.
Steve Nesius/Reuters
Apr 01, 2026, 7:11 PM EDT
Orion's solar arrays fully deployed
Orion's solar arrays are now fully deployed, powering the spacecraft as it continues its journey toward the moon.
In about an hour, the crew will be in high Earth orbit, and will remain there for about 24 hours to conduct systems checks.
-ABC News' Briana Alvarado
