“We choose to isolate the crew for 14 days before a launch because most infectious diseases take 10 to 14 days to be transferred from one person to another,” stated Dr. Raffi Kuyumjian, emphasizing the importance of crew safety ahead of the highly anticipated Artemis II mission.
The Artemis II crew entered a 14-day quarantine period on March 18, 2026, as preparations ramp up for the mission. NASA has targeted a launch time of 6:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time on April 1, 2026, for this groundbreaking mission.
On March 19, 2026, NASA transported the moon rocket to the launchpad for the second time, following a previous setback caused by a helium leak that delayed the original launch scheduled for February. The Artemis II mission will mark the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972, making it a significant milestone in space exploration.
The mission will encompass a 10-day manned flight aboard the Orion spacecraft, carrying a crew that includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. If the launch on April 1 is delayed, additional windows are available on April 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, 2026, with the final opportunity for April 2026 set for April 30.
As the countdown to launch continues, NASA is focused on ensuring all systems are go for this historic mission that aims to pave the way for future lunar exploration and potential human settlement on the Moon.