How to watch Artemis II rocket launch - and answers to every other question you had about moon mission

The countdown to Artemis II is ticking. NASA’s next Moon mission could lift off no earlier than 6.24pm EDT on Wednesday (1 April).

At Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams are running through a carefully choreographed set of steps to get the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft ready.

It's all in preparation for a crewed journey around the Moon – the first in over 50 years.

Here's everything we know:

Where is Artemis II launching from?

Artemis II is set to blast off from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Who are the astronauts?

The Artemis II crew features three NASA astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch.
Joining them is Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

Getty Images

What time is the Artemis II rocket launch?

NASA is aiming for liftoff at 11.24pm BST tonight (1 April), which is 6.24pm local time in Florida (EDT).

There’s a two-hour launch window, so the rocket could take off any time up until 1.24am BST on Thursday morning (8.24pm EDT).

How to watch the Artemis II rocket launch

NASA will be streaming the launch live on its YouTube channel, with coverage starting at 12.45pm BST (7.45am EDT) as teams fuel up the Space Launch System. For full live coverage, tune in to the NASA+ streaming service from 5.50pm BST (12.50pm EDT).

Once the rocket is in the sky, you can follow the Orion spacecraft in real time via NASA’s Artemis Real-time Orbit Website (AROW). It’s also available on the NASA mobile app, letting you track the mission around the Moon from anywhere.

Getty Images

How long will the Artemis II journey take?

Artemis II will mark the first crewed flight of NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. The astronauts are set to orbit the Moon and return to Earth over the course of roughly 10 days.

You should also read...

• White House sets out ominous goal to takeover the Moon
• Moon mystery uncovered by lunar rocks collected by astronauts

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.