U.S.-Canadian Astronaut Crew Ready for Flight Around the Moon
Four astronauts – NASA commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) mission specialist Jeremy Hansen – and their backups, NASA’s Andre Douglas and CSA’s Jenni Gibbons, arrived at Kennedy Space Center on the afternoon of March 27, 2026. The crew travelled from Johnson Space Center in three T‑38 jets, landing at 2:15 p.m. ET and were greeted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, CSA President Lisa Campbell, and NASA Acting Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Lori Glaze. Their arrival marks the final crew‑on‑pad step before the Artemis II lunar flyby, slated for launch on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with a launch window extending through April 6.
The Artemis II launch will occur from Launch Complex 39B, using the Orion spacecraft mounted on the Space Launch System. The mission follows a free‑return trajectory that mirrors the 1970 Apollo 13 path, allowing the crew to return to Earth even if the Orion Service Module’s propulsion underperforms. The flight is planned to travel up to 402,000 km (250,000 mi) from Earth, potentially surpassing the 400,171 km distance set by Apollo 13. The crew has been in quarantine since March 18, maintaining separation protocols, and completed the Flight Readiness Review confirming vehicle and crew readiness. Alignment of the Earth and Moon restricts the launch to the April 1‑6 window; if missed, the next opportunity opens on April 30. Additional technical preparations include loading millions of pounds of propellant onto the launch pad and installing a Zero‑Gravity Indicator, selected through a contest won by a second‑grader whose RISE plushy will carry a micro‑SD card with public names around the Moon.
Artemis II serves as the first crewed test flight of Orion and the Space Launch System, validating systems required for subsequent Artemis missions that aim to land astronauts on the lunar surface and establish a sustainable Moon base. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who took office in December 2025, outlined a Moon‑Base roadmap during the crew’s visit, linking this test flight to longer‑term exploration objectives. The mission also offers the possibility of setting a new record for the farthest distance traveled by humans, a milestone the crew emphasizes only as a secondary outcome to the primary goal of demonstrating spacecraft performance for future lunar landings.
