NASA Delays Artemis II Launch Window to March 2026

NASA announces a schedule adjustment for the crewed Artemis II mission, shifting the target launch window to March 2026 to complete final testing and hardware readiness.

NASA has officially adjusted the launch schedule for its first crewed Artemis mission, announcing that the Artemis II flight which will send four astronauts around the Moon is now targeting a launch window opening in March 2026. The decision reflects additional time needed to complete critical pre-flight testing, hardware certifications, and ensure crew safety.

The agency cited several factors for the adjustment, primarily related to the thorough review of data from the uncrewed Artemis I mission, ongoing work on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage, and final integration and testing of the Orion spacecraft’s life support and crew safety systems. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the mission’s priority remains safety over schedule. “We are committed to flying when we are ready. The additional time allows our teams to work through final vehicle checkouts and implement lessons learned, ensuring a successful and safe mission for our astronauts,” he stated.

The Artemis II crew NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will use the extended timeline for additional training and simulation. The mission remains a critical pathfinder, testing Orion’s performance with a crew in deep space and validating the life support, communication, and navigation systems needed for the subsequent Artemis III lunar landing.

This adjustment represents a several-month slip from the previously targeted late 2025 launch window. Industry observers note the delay is not unexpected given the complexity of human spaceflight but underscores the high stakes of returning humans to lunar distances for the first time since 1972. All major hardware components, including the SLS core stage and solid rocket boosters, are at Kennedy Space Center undergoing final assembly and integration.

NASA maintains that this revised schedule does not impact the long-term goal of landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon with Artemis III, though that mission’s timeline is expected to be evaluated following Artemis II’s flight.