How to watch NASA’s historic Artemis II launch for the moon
It’s happening! Artemis IINASA’s first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years, is scheduled to launch as early as 6:24 p.m. today (April 1).
NASA hopes its massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will launch the Orion capsule containing its four-person crew during a two-hour window that opens today at 6:24 p.m. EDT. If all goes well, Artemis II will take humans further into space than ever before on a 10-day flight around the Moon.
NASA will broadcast the launch live from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, broadcasting it via the space agency’s official accounts on YouTube, X, FacebookAnd Tic. Live coverage will also be available on NASA’s free streaming service, NASA+as well as a variety of third-party streaming services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime.
The NASA live stream is scheduled to begin at 12:50 p.m. EDT. We can’t say exactly what time the launch will take place, but if it happens today, expect the rocket to lift off between 6:24 p.m. and 8:24 p.m.
Launch window opening times
Wednesday: 6:24 p.m. EDT
Thursday: 7:22 p.m. EDT
Friday: 8:00 p.m. EDT
Saturday: 8:53 p.m. EDT
Sunday: 9:40 p.m. EDT
Monday (April 6): 10:36 p.m. EDT
Thursday (April 30): 6:06 p.m. EDT
This will be an easy event to watch live, given that NASA is streaming it for free on various platforms. You don’t need to create an account, pay a subscription or endure ads to watch it live.
Although NASA is targeting today, there is no guarantee that Artemis II will launch at that time. Spaceflight is a delicate process even at the best of times, and the Artemis program has been strewn with delays.
THE April launch windows for Artemis II will run Wednesday through Monday (April 1-6), so it’s possible to launch on any of those days, plus another opportunity on April 30. Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday looks good, with NASA citing a 80% chance favorable weather conditions.
NASA will begin its coverage with a live stream and commentary of its refueling operations, which will begin on NASA’s YouTube channel at 7:45 a.m. EDT. Note that this is before the main launch broadcast, which begins at 12:50 p.m. EDT.
NASA will hold a post-launch press conference approximately two hours after launch, assuming the launch takes place, and it will be available on the space agency’s official channels.
This launch is just the beginning of NASA’s planned coverage of the historic flight around the Moon. NASA will provide live, real-time coverage of the mission on its YouTube channel, as well as live conversations with astronauts and daily mission briefings.
Live Science will share key insights from NASA coverage on our dedicated site Artemis II live blog.
