Post Content The spacecraft will have travelled a distance of 685,000 miles by the end of the mission before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean around April 10. (Image: Nasa)
NASA Artemis 2 Rocket Launch Date, Time, Live Streaming: The much-awaited Artemis II mission by Nasa is set to mark a historic return to deep space, with liftoff scheduled for April 1. The mission will launch from Kennedy Space Center at Launch Complex 39B, with a two-hour window opening at 6:24 PM EDT (3:24 IST the next day). This will be the first crewed mission to head toward the Moon since the Apollo era, ending a gap of more than five decades. If weather or technical issues arise, Nasa has backup launch opportunities planned each day through April 6.
Coverage of the event will begin hours before liftoff, giving viewers a full look at the final preparations and countdown.
Launch timing and schedule
Nasa has already confirmed that the Artemis II mission will take place on a predetermined schedule on the launch day. The activities are scheduled to begin early in the morning on the launch day. The live coverage of the launch will commence before the launch window opens, allowing all to witness some of the major milestones in the launch.
The launch window is scheduled to remain open for two hours, giving the mission team enough time in case of slight delays. If the launch does not take place on April 1, there are other launch windows available until April 6.
Also Read | Artemis 2 astronauts arrive at Kennedy Space Center as Nasa eyes April 1 Moon launch
Where to watch the launch live
The launch of Artemis II is open to interested parties worldwide through several platforms. NASA+ and NASA TV will broadcast the launch of the Artemis II mission live without ads, starting from 12:50 PM EDT on April 1 and will also be available YouTube.
A continuous livestream will also be available on YouTube, where audiences can follow live visuals of the rocket and mission progress. Furthermore, Nasa will also provide updates and key highlights of the mission on its social media handles. The broadcast will also include close-up shots of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System ready for launch.
Artemis II mission
The Artemis II mission is a 10-day mission aimed at testing systems for a future mission to the Moon. The mission will commence by entering high Earth orbit and having the crew on board test the life support and communication systems for the first 24 hours. The spacecraft will then travel to the Moon via a free return trajectory. The spacecraft will loop around the far side of the Moon before returning to Earth. The spacecraft will also reach a distance of 248,655 miles from Earth during the mission. The spacecraft will have travelled a distance of 685,000 miles by the end of the mission before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean around April 10. The mission will have beaten the previous record of 248,000 miles set by Apollo 13.
Story continues below this ad
Also Read | What does the ocean floor look like from space? NASA has the answer
Artemis II crew
The Artemis II mission will be conducted by a diverse team of four astronauts. Reid Wiseman will serve as commander, with Victor Glover as pilot. The crew also includes mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. The mission signifies several important milestones: Koch will become the first woman to travel to the Moon’s vicinity, Glover the first person of colour, and Hansen the first non-American to take part in a lunar mission. However, none of the astronauts will set foot on the Moon, as Artemis II is a flyby mission and will not involve a lunar landing.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
