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Countdown underway for long-awaited Artemis II moon mission
Updated on: March 30, 2026 / 8:59 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch with a crew of four astronauts.
- This is the first crewed mission to the moon in 50 years.
- The mission duration will be nine days and one hour, covering approximately 700,000 miles.
- The crew will travel around the moon and return to Earth for a splashdown.
- The launch is planned for Wednesday at 6:24 p.m. EDT, with an 80% chance of favorable weather.
- NASA is accelerating its efforts to establish a lunar beachhead with landings planned for 2028 and the construction of a moon base.