LIVESTREAM: NASA Launches Artemis II in Historic return to Moon Missions
Livestream Courtesy CBS News
NASA is preparing to launch its long-awaited Artemis II mission, marking the first time astronauts will travel toward the Moon in more than five decades.
The rocket is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on April 1, carrying a crew of four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon. The mission will not land on the lunar surface but is designed to test critical systems needed for future deep-space exploration.
According to Reuters, the crew includes three Americans and one Canadian astronaut, who will travel farther from Earth than any humans have gone before—reaching a distance of over 250,000 miles.
The flight will use NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, both central to the agency’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon later this decade.
The mission is seen as a major step toward a future lunar landing, helping engineers assess life-support, communication and navigation systems in deep space.
However, Artemis II also comes amid growing competition within the space industry. Traditional contractors working on the program face increasing pressure from newer commercial players developing reusable rocket technology at lower costs.
Despite earlier technical delays, including issues with fuel systems and hardware checks, NASA has maintained its early April launch window, with backup dates extending into the following days if needed.
If successful, Artemis II will pave the way for future missions that could return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era, as part of broader plans to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.
