NASA’s Artemis II Live Mission Coverage
Join us for continuing live coverage of NASA’s Artemis II, the first crewed mission of the Artemis program. This feed will provide continuous coverage of Artemis II mission activities with live commentary, beginning with tanking of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and concluding with the recovery of the Orion Integrity spacecraft after splashdown.
Four astronauts aboard the agency’s Artemis II test flight around the Moon made history at 1:56 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 6, when they reached 248,655 miles from Earth—surpassing the farthest distance ever traveled by humans, a record previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970. The Artemis II crew is now more than halfway through their mission and is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at approximately 8:07 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 10.
Artemis II
First Artemis Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars.
Artemis II builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I in 2022, and will demonstrate a broad range of capabilities needed on deep space missions. The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew aboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft.
A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response (AVATAR)
Artemis II AVATAR is a small experiment flying aboard Artemis II that could lead to big impacts in healthcare, both for astronauts in space and citizens on Earth.
AVATAR is a collaboration between NASA, multiple government agencies, and industry partners that seeks to gain a deeper understanding of human biology and disease, preventative measures, and personalized therapeutic treatments.
Lunar Discovery and Exploration
The Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office (ESSIO) ensures science is infused into all aspects of lunar exploration.
In the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), the Exploration Science Strategy Integration Office (ESSIO) ensures science is infused into all aspects of lunar exploration. Through researching the Moon and its environment, and by using the Moon as an observation platform, NASA strives to gain a greater understanding of the Moon, the solar system, the universe, and the deep space environment.
The Moon
From lighting up our skies to preserving evidence of our solar system’s history, Earth’s closest neighbor plays a pivotal role in the study of our planet and beyond.
NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions
Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the Universe and the history of our solar system.
NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day mission around the Moon and back, will advance the agency’s goal to land astronauts at the Moon’s south polar region and will help set the stage for future crewed Mars missions.
Do NASA Science:
Impact Flash!
Do NASA Citizen Science and discover the secrets of the universe, search for life elsewhere, and protect and improve life on Earth and in space!
As the Artemis program ushers in a new age of Moon exploration, recording impact flashes, small bursts of light caused by space rocks hitting the moon, is more important than ever. Thanks to modern robotic telescopes and video equipment, it’s also easier to do. Join a global community and take part in this exciting work!
AVATAR
Biological & Physical Sciences
Revolutionary research in extraordinary places
The AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation will use organ-on-a-chip devices, or organ chips, to study the effects of increased radiation and microgravity on human health.
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Biological & Physical Sciences
Scientific Goals
BPS scientific goals to benefit space exploration and life on Earth.
Precision Health
Leveraging space to unlock the secrets of aging and disease
AVATAR
A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response is a key investigation for BPS
Quantum Science
Unraveling mysteries of the universe
Space Crops
Boldly growing where no one has grown before
Foundations
Revealing the novel behaviors of fluids, fire, and materials in space
Space Labs
Advancing research in space, on any platform, anywhere
Artemis II Science
The AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation will use organ-on-a-chip devices, or organ chips, to study the effects of deep space radiation and microgravity on human health. The chips will contain cells from Artemis II astronauts and fly side-by-side with crew on their approximately 10-day journey around the Moon. This research, combined with other studies on the health and performance of Artemis II astronauts, will give NASA insight into how to best protect astronauts as exploration expands to the surface of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Learn MoreThrow Back: Artemis I
Artemis I flight test at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida
NASA’s Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agency’s deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47 a.m. EST, from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.
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OBSERVE THE MOON
Daily Moon Guide
NASA’s interactive map for observing the Moon, every day of the year.
Next Total Lunar Eclipse
March 3, 2026 (UTC)
Features
Moon Dust
We can learn a lot from studying Moon dust—and, the Moon’s powdery surface presents challenges for human and robotic explorers.
Lunar Volcanism
The Moon does not have erupting volcanoes today, but it was once flooded with flowing lava.
The Moon & Tides
As distant as the Moon may seem, its gravitational pull plays a huge role in the formation of Earth’s ocean tides.
NASA’s Curious Universe
Come get curious with NASA. As an official NASA podcast, Curious Universe brings you mind-blowing science and space adventures you won’t find anywhere else. Explore the cosmos alongside astronauts, scientists, engineers, and other top NASA experts. Learn something new about the wild and wonderful universe we share. All you need to get started is a little curiosity.
Learn More about NASA's Curious Universe
Science in Action
Payload Management
The flight control team within the Payload and Mission Operations Division at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL will monitor and manage a subset of Artemis II science from the Lunar Utilization Control Area during the Artemis II mission. Drawing on extensive training and execution from nearly 25 years of continuous International Space Station payload operations, these specialists will provide critical operations support for the astronaut health studies.
Real-Time Science Operations
A team of scientists with expertise in impact cratering, volcanism, tectonism, and lunar ice will provide real-time data analysis and guidance to the crew in space from the Science Evaluation Room in mission control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Artemis II provides an opportunity for scientists and flight engineers to call upon the years of testing and simulations that the teams have done together.
Astronauts as Scientists
Artemis II crew members Victor Glover and Christina Koch train in a mockup Orion capsule on cameras similar to the ones they'll use to capture the Moon’s geologic features in flight. Artemis II will give crew members a chance to participate in groundbreaking human health research while putting the lunar science skills they've been developing in trainings to a real-life test.
