The Artemis II crewed lunar mission lifts off from Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 1, 2026. Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket April 1 on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. Credit: AFPFour Artemis astronauts were zooming towards the Moon late Thursday after a major engine firing, a milestone that commits NASA to the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century. The 10-day mission is aimed at paving the way for a Moon landing in 2028. Artemis 2 marks a series of historic accomplishments: sending the first person of colour, the first woman and the first non-American on a lunar mission.

Source: Punch April 03, 2026 05:36 UTC