NASA Targets March 6, 2026 for Historic Artemis II Launch After Successful Rehearsal
By Space Coast Daily // February 20, 2026
Coverage of the launch can be seen on Space Coast Daily TV
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – NASA is targeting no earlier than March 6, 2026, for the historic launch of Artemis II, marking a major milestone in the agency’s return to deep space exploration.
The announcement comes after a successful wet dress rehearsal, a critical prelaunch test in which teams fully fuel the rocket and run through the countdown sequence without liftoff. The rehearsal allows engineers to validate systems, procedures, and communications ahead of launch day.
Artemis II will be the first crewed mission in NASA’s Artemis program and the first time astronauts travel beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo era. The mission will send four astronauts on a journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, powered by NASA’s Space Launch System rocket.
During the wet dress rehearsal, launch teams practiced propellant loading operations and progressed through the countdown as planned, gathering key data to ensure the rocket and ground systems are ready for flight. Officials say the successful test keeps the mission on track for its targeted launch window.
Artemis II builds on the uncrewed Artemis I mission, which successfully orbited the Moon and returned to Earth, demonstrating the capabilities of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. The upcoming flight will test life-support systems and other critical components needed to safely carry astronauts on future missions.
NASA says the mission is a key step toward landing astronauts on the Moon again and eventually preparing for human exploration of Mars.
