NASA Unveils Artemis II Launch Windows: What We Know

Space agency is making final preparations for what will be the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than half a century.

Jack Daleo

Monday, January 12, 2026 at 03:30 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Crews transport NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft from the Multi-Payload Processing Facility to the Launch Abort System Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 10, 2025. [Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett]

Key Takeaways:

NASA has announced the launch windows for Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in over 50 years, sending four astronauts around the Moon.
The earliest launch opportunity is February 6, with additional windows available through early April, serving as a crucial precursor to the Artemis III lunar landing.
Extensive pre-launch preparations are underway, including system rollout, integration, and wet dress rehearsals, with crew safety remaining NASA's top priority for the approximately 10-day mission.

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NASA for the first time has announced launch windows for the first crewed spaceflight beyond Earth orbit in more than half a century.

The space agency on Friday said it is making final preparations for the Artemis II mission, which will send four astronauts around the moon and back as a precursor to Artemis III—humanity’s first mission to the treacherous lunar south pole, planned for as early as mid-2027.