Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://mypepack.gophersport.com/video/?vid=jO5z4Fpg3GA Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NASA Artemis II moon mission live: Orion in flight after liftoff from Kennedy Space Center [aCkVqNcDPl1] Health Updated on August 08, 2026 EDT — Published on August 08, 2026 EDT Four astronauts are in Earth orbit and will soon race toward the moon – but first they'll test the craft while relatively close to home. While orbiting Earth, Artemis II will be 115 miles away at its closest point and about 46,000 miles distant during the furthest segment. The crew is testing life support systems and practicing Orion's manual handling and docking capabilities. This mission, which successfully launched at 6:35 p.m. ET April 1, is the second in a program that will ultimately land astronauts on the moon's surface and construct a base there. Follow Artemis II tracker: Sign up for our newsletter for the day's top stories, from sports to movies to politics to world events: pjGBqP4HA8E Nni9CFlRctP Ug2SpVQ3yin HoKoIwW4W8V dYO74IEinzD hKy4LIthEM4 HwjRTbTDL9Y eKHpTgGT4z7
Four astronauts are in Earth orbit and will soon race toward the moon – but first they'll test the craft while relatively close to home. While orbiting Earth, Artemis II will be 115 miles away at its closest point and about 46,000 miles distant during the furthest segment. The crew is testing life support systems and practicing Orion's manual handling and docking capabilities. This mission, which successfully launched at 6:35 p.m. ET April 1, is the second in a program that will ultimately land astronauts on the moon's surface and construct a base there. Follow Artemis II tracker: Sign up for our newsletter for the day's top stories, from sports to movies to politics to world events: pjGBqP4HA8E Nni9CFlRctP Ug2SpVQ3yin HoKoIwW4W8V dYO74IEinzD hKy4LIthEM4 HwjRTbTDL9Y eKHpTgGT4z7