Two views of the jettison of the launch abort system from the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II launch. The launch abort system jettisoned 3 minutes and 18 seconds after the mission lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the event of early ascent emergencies, the launch abort system would quickly pull Orion and the crew safely from the Space Launch System rocket. If needed for an abort, the launch abort system can accelerate from 0 to 500 mph in 2 seconds.

History in the making

In this new image from our NASA Artemis II crew, you can see Orientale basin on the right edge of the lunar disk. This mission marks the first time the entire basin has been seen with human eyes. [Why?]

Shortly after NASA’s Orion spacecraft passed the halfway mark between the Earth and the Moon, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen conducted a live question and answer session with media who were on site at the Canadian Space Agency HQ in Longueuil (Quebec, Canada). The conversation occurred on April 4, 2026, while the Artemis II mission was on its way to fly around the Moon.

Don't worry: space has mac and cheese.

Food aboard Orion must be easy to prepare and consume in microgravity, minimize crumbs, and remain safe and stable throughout the mission. The crew provided input well before the meals were packed for the test flight.

Join the crew of Artemis II as they discuss their personal feelings about what the Moon means to them.

Dining in space isn’t exactly a Michelin Star experience, but it is exciting. The Artemis II mission is no exception: the astronauts’ menu includes foods such as macaroni and cheese, beef brisket, broccoli au gratin—and 58 tortillas.

In all, the four crew members—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch—have a selection of 189 different menu items to choose from on their journey around the moon. Tortillas are among the most popular astronaut foods—in part because it’s simply easy to fill them, fold them up and eat them without bits floating off in the zero-g environment inside a spacecraft.

On Friday the crew’s breakfast menu included vegetable quiche, scrambled eggs, couscous with nuts, peaches and oatmeal. “There’s even a muffin being enjoyed today,” said NASA public affairs officer Leah Cheshier Mustachio in the agency’s livestream coverage of the mission. Coffee is also in high demand: NASA has allotted 43 cups of coffee for the crew—a little more than 10 cups per astronaut across the 10-day mission.

"...copy, Moon joy."

Why do the Artemis II astronauts keep calling their Orion spacecraft, "Integrity"?

The crew chose this name for their home away from home because it "embodies the foundation of trust, respect, candor, and humility" of the teams behind the Artemis II mission.

"Thanks to you and to the whole team on the ground for building on our Apollo legacy with Artemis."

In addition to a wake-up song this morning, the Artemis II astronauts were treated to an audio message from Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke.

Artemis astronauts, here’s your Moon-observing assignment 👀

This custom science plan is fine-tuned for the exact lighting conditions on the Moon’s surface when the Artemis II crew flies by, and for their viewing angle as they’re hurtling through space. ️

Above is a screenshot of the actual Lunar Targeting Plan that the Artemis II mission will use for the April 6 flyby. The targets are prioritized based on both their science value and their visibility at the time of observation.

As the astronauts approach the Moon, most of the lunar nearside will be illuminated – a shared view with observers on Earth. When they’re all the way on the other side of the Moon, they’ll see a waxing crescent: 20% of the lunar farside will be sunlit, and 80% will be dark.

The Lunar Targeting Plan is focused on the sunlit parts of the surface, but the night side of the Moon offers unique science opportunities, too. The astronauts will look for bursts of light created when space debris slams into the Moon’s surface, a.k.a. “impact flashes”.

They’ll keep their eyes out for dust lofted above the lunar horizon and backlit by the Sun. And on top of all that, they’ll experience a total solar eclipse lasting almost an hour

Today's daily planning conference began with the Artemis II crew awarding CSA ASC astronaut Jeremy R. Hansen with a gold astronaut pin to commemorate his first spaceflight, per NASA tradition.

The Artemis II astronauts are already the champions of a fresh new era of lunar exploration. Now it's time to set a new distance record.

Launched last week on humanity's first trip to the moon since 1972, the three Americans and one Canadian are chasing after Apollo 13's maximum range from Earth. That will make them our planet's farthest emissaries as they swing around the moon without stopping on Monday and then hightail it back home.

Their roughly six-hour lunar flyby promises views of the moon's far side that were too dark or too difficult to see by the 24 Apollo astronauts who preceded them. A total solar eclipse also awaits them as the moon blocks the sun, exposing snippets of shimmering corona.

"We'll get eyes on the moon, kind of map it out and then continue to go back in force," said flight director Judd Frieling. The goal is a moon base replete with landers, rovers, drones and habitats.

A look at Artemis II's up-close and personal brush with another world—our constant companion, the moon.