What time is the Artemis 2 launch? Launch timing and how to watch live

NASA begun fueling its moon rocket Wednesday for humanity’s first lunar trip in more than half a century, aiming for an evening liftoff with four astronauts.

Tensions were high as hydrogen fuel started flowing into the rocket hours ahead of the planned launch. Dangerous hydrogen leaks erupted during a countdown test earlier this year, forcing a lengthy flight delay.

The launch team needs to load more than 700,000 gallons of fuel (2.6 million liters) into the 32-story Space Launch System rocket on the pad before the Artemis II crew can board.

“It is time to fly,” commander Reid Wiseman said on the eve of launch via X. Favorable weather was forecast.

What time does Artemis II launch?

Liftoff is set for 5:24 p.m. CT, 6:24 p.m. EDT Wednesday.

After liftoff, the astronauts will spend the first 25 hours circling Earth in a high, lopsided orbit. They’ll use the separated upper stage as a target, steering their Orion capsule around it as docking practice for future moonshots. Instead of fancy range finders, they’ll rely on their eyes to judge the gap, venturing no closer than 33 feet to the stage.

If all goes as planned, Orion’s main engine will hurl the crew to the moon some 244,000 miles away. This free-return trajectory made famous in Apollo 13 relies on the moon and Earth’s gravity, minimizing the need for fuel.

On flight day six, Orion will reach its farthermost point from Earth as it sails 5,000 miles beyond the moon. That will surpass Apollo 13’s distance record, making Artemis astronauts the most remote travelers.

After emerging from behind the moon, the crew will head straight home with a splashdown homecoming into the Pacific on flight day 10 — nine days, one hour and 46 minutes after liftoff.

Navy recovery ships will be stationed off the coast of San Diego as Orion parachutes into the ocean.

Who are the astronauts?

Three Americans and one Canadian will fly around the moon without stopping or even orbiting — then head straight back for a Pacific splashdown. They will set a new distance record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth as they zoom some 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) beyond the moon and then hang a U-turn.

Astronauts last flew to the moon during Apollo 17 in 1972.

Artemis II is the opening shot of NASA’s grand plans for a permanent moon base. The space program is aiming for a moon landing near the lunar south pole in 2028.

“The next era of exploration begins,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X.

Best wishes already have started to pour in, including from England’s King Charles III to Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Hansen will become the first non-U. S. citizen to launch to the moon. The crew also includes Christina Koch and Victor Glover, the first woman and first Black astronaut, respectively, destined for the moon.

“In this historic moment, you stand as a bridge between nations and generations,” the king wrote in a letter to Hansen, “and I commend you for your courage, discipline and vision that have brought you to this threshold.”

According to NASA, the food selection is developed to support calorie needs, hydration and nutrient intake, while taking into account individual crew preferences. Meals must be shelf-stable and easy to consume.

The food items on the menu include vegetable quiche, breakfast sausage, couscous with nuts, mango salad, granola with blueberries, barbecue beef brisket, broccoli au gratin, macaroni and cheese, spicy green beans, fruit salad, cauliflower and tortillas. Each astronaut is allotted two flavored beverages per day, which include coffee, tea, chocolate and vanilla shakes, apple cider, lemonade and mango-peach smoothie.

To satisfy their sweet tooth, NASA is sending up cookies, cobbler, cake, chocolate and candy-coated almonds.