Artemis II is scheduled to launch on April 1, 2026, and will carry four astronauts: NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. About eight minutes after launch, the Orion spacecraft will separate from the main rocket and enter orbit around Earth.
The rocket’s upper stage, called the ICPS, will perform two engine ignitions to lift Orion into a safe high orbit. Once in orbit, the crew will spend the rest of the day checking Orion’s systems – testing the water and food systems, toilets and air filters. She will also practice moving and adjusting the cabin to live and work comfortably in a weightless state. The astronauts will even practice flying the Orion near the ICPS, which is used as a docking target. After some rest, Orion will perform a final engine ignition to prepare for the next day’s journey to the Moon.
Flight Day 2: Journey to the Moon
The next day, the crew will begin training on Orion’s special flywheel to stay fit in microgravity. Astronaut Christina Koch prepares the spacecraft’s main engine for the translunar injection (TLI) burn — the big engine start that will send Orion on its way around the moon. This path is a “free return trajectory,” meaning that Orion will naturally swing back to Earth if needed.
After TLI, the crew calms down and gets used to life in space. They will also have a video chat with mission control on Earth, the first of many planned during the mission.
Flight Days 3–5: Fine-tuning the route
Flight Day 3 will include minor engine adjustments to keep Orion on track, called trajectory corrections. The crew will also practice emergency procedures such as CPR in zero gravity and check medical instruments such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors.
Flight Day 4 is dedicated to studying lunar geography and practicing photography from the Orion windows. Astronauts will also take special photos of stars and planets.
Flight day 5 marks Orion’s entry into the Moon’s gravitational influence. The crew will test the new orange Orion suits, which protect them in emergency situations, provide breathable air and can keep someone alive for up to six days if necessary. There will also be a final adjustment of the engine before the moon flyby.
Flight Day 6: Closest Approach to the Moon
Artemis II will fly within 4,000 to 6,000 miles of the Moon, potentially making it the farthest humans have traveled from Earth since Apollo 13. Astronauts will take photos and videos of the lunar surface, capturing areas they have never seen first hand. They will lose contact with Earth for about 30-50 minutes as they fly past the Moon and record observations to later match their images.
Flight Days 7-9: Return journey
On flight day 7, Orion will leave the Moon’s gravitational pull. The crew will talk to the scientists on Earth and start the engines for the first reentry adjustment. Flight Day 8 will test the radiation shielding and manual piloting of the spacecraft. On flight day 9, the crew prepares for reentry, testing the lavatory system and donning special compression garments to prevent dizziness when re-entering Earth’s gravity.
Flight Day 10: Splashdown
The last day is focused on a safe return. Orion’s service module will detach and expose a heat shield to withstand temperatures of 3,000°F during reentry. Parachutes will slow the capsule to about 17 mph for impact in the Pacific Ocean, where NASA and US Navy teams will retrieve the astronauts.
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