NASA’s SLS Rocket Preview for Artemis II Launch on April 1, 2026

NASA’s Artemis II mission is set for April 1, 2026. The crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

The 10-day flight around the moon tests systems for future lunar landings. It follows Apollo 17 in 1972 and precedes Artemis IV aiming to land humans on the moon by 2028.

SLS rocket faced issues including hydrogen leaks and helium obstructions, leading to a rollback to Vehicle Assembly Building in February. Orion spacecraft’s heatshield also had problems during uncrewed Artemis 1 re-entry in 2022.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a bus tour from Gantry at 39A to Apollo Saturn V Center, where visitors can learn about NASA’s first moon missions and see a real Saturn V rocket.