MLI
← Back to News
LaunchMar 13, 2026

NASA working toward April 1 launch of Artemis 2

NASA working toward April 1 launch of Artemis 2
Image source: SpaceNews
Story Brief

WASHINGTON — NASA is pushing ahead with an Artemis 2 launch as soon as April 1 after completing repairs to a helium line that required rolling the rocket back from the pad.

At a March 12 briefing, agency officials said they completed a two-day flight readiness review for the Artemis 2 mission and agreed to proceed with launch preparations.

NASA currently plans to roll the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, back to Launch Complex 39B on March 19. That would set up a launch as soon as April 1, the opening of the next launch period for the mission, which runs through April 6.

Reference Details
SpaceNews

NASA is pushing ahead with an Artemis 2 launch as soon as April 1 after completing repairs to a helium line that required rolling back from the pad.

https://spacenews.com/nasa-working-toward-april-1-launch-of-artemis-2/
X · Jeff Foust

RT @SpaceNews_Inc: NASA working toward April 1 launch of Artemis 2 https://t.co/UGPiqXXdpw https://t.co/WNPv8GAAeh

https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/2032427971617726821
X · NASA

NASA teams have polled 'go' to proceed toward Artemis II's launch around the Moon. We're targeting March 19 to roll the rocket out to the launchpad at @NASAKennedy in advance of a…

https://x.com/NASA/status/2032204747822752140
NASA

About eight minutes after Artemis II lifts off, the Orion spacecraft and its crew, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasas-artemis-ii-moon-mission-daily-agenda/
X · NASA

About eight minutes after Artemis II lifts off, the Orion spacecraft and the astronauts aboard will be in space. But what happens after that? Check out the Artemis II daily agenda…

https://x.com/NASA/status/2032491496251785519
Space.com

NASA has completed the Artemis 2 flight readiness review and plans to launch the historic moon mission as soon as April 1.

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-says-its-artemis-2-moon-rocket-is-all-fixed-up-it-could-launch-astronauts-to-the-moon-on-april-1
X · NASA

RT @NASASpox: A busy week of preparation, progress, and historic achievements at @NASA. 🌕 Artemis II teams move closer to launch readiness…

https://x.com/NASA/status/2032503335605928285
Space.com

NASA's Artemis 2 mission, which will launch astronauts to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years, comes with undeniable risk. But quantifying that risk is a tall order.

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/how-risky-is-the-artemis-2-astronaut-launch-to-the-moon-nasa-would-rather-not-say
Mentioned Companies & Entities
Technologies Involved
Artemis IISLSHelium SystemsLunar Missions