The four astronauts assigned to NASA’s Artemis II mission arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, March 27, 2026, ahead of a targeted launch date of Wednesday, April 1. The two-hour launch window opens at 6:24 p.m. EDT. The crew will fly around the Moon on what will be the first crewed lunar voyage in more than 50 years.
Zero Gravity Indicator Revealed
During arrival remarks at Kennedy’s Launch and Landing Facility, Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman announced that a design called “Rise,” created by Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California, would serve as the mission’s zero gravity indicator. The design was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment captured during the Apollo 8 mission. A zero gravity indicator is a small plush item that rides with the crew and visually signals when they have reached weightlessness.
The winning design was chosen from more than 2,600 submissions received from across all 50 states and several international locations, reflecting the broad public enthusiasm for the mission.
Final Preparations
With the crew now on site, final preparations are underway at Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft await. The crew will spend the days before launch conducting final reviews, suit fit checks, and mission briefings in preparation for the historic flight.
Mission Overview
Artemis II is designed as a lunar flyby mission that will test the Orion spacecraft’s life support, navigation, and communication systems with astronauts aboard. The successful completion of Artemis II will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface.