NASA’s Artemis II Launch Mission Countdown Begins
The countdown for NASA’s Artemis II test flight is underway at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with members of the launch team arriving at their consoles inside the Rocco Petrone Launch Control Center. The onsite countdown clock started ticking down at 4:44 p.m. EDT to a targeted launch time of 6:24 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1. Artemis II is the first crewed launch of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft.
With countdown officially underway, engineers are powering up flight hardware, checking communication links, and preparing the rocket’s cryogenic systems for the precise fueling sequence required to load hundreds of thousands of gallons of super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. At Launch Pad 39B, teams will begin filling the sound suppression system’s massive tank with water, which will unleash a protective deluge at liftoff to shield the vehicle from the roar of its own engines.
The Artemis II crew, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, remains in Astronaut Crew Quarters inside NASA Kennedy’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. The crewmates have spent the final countdown phase focused on readiness and technical verification, remaining in quarantine under strict health monitoring and completing medical checks to ensure fitness for launch. They have been following a controlled sleep schedule and nutrition plan to maintain energy and hydration for launch, while continuing to receive regular updates on the rocket’s configuration and weather conditions from crew quarters.
NASA and weather officers with the U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 45 continue to pay close attention to weather conditions ahead of tanking operations. The weather forecast for launch day shows an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions with primary concerns being cloud coverage and the potential for high winds in the area. Teams will continue to monitor the weather in the coming days.
Broadcast coverage begins with live views and audio commentary of tanking operations beginning at 7:45 a.m. on April 1, on NASA’s YouTube channel, as teams load propellant into the SLS rocket. Full coverage on NASA+ begins at 12:50 p.m. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.
On Monday, NASA leadership hosted a status update briefing to discuss the latest mission preparations. Watch an instant replay below:
