NASA has scheduled a press conference on March 13 to provide updates on the Artemis II Moon mission, which is targeted for launch no earlier than April. The conference, at the Kennedy Space Center, will begin at 12:30 am IST [3 pm EDT, March 12] and led by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman with other senior officials in attendance.
NASA will host a conference on March 12 to highlight progress toward the Artemis II mission around the Moon, targeted to launch no earlier than April.
This live event will take place following the flight readiness review for the Moonbound mission. https://t.co/9ck0YoZvNb pic.twitter.com/TiWbPKg4xS
— NASA (@NASA) March 9, 2026
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will launch four astronauts to the Moon is currently undergoing final checks at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) approximately six kilometres away from the launch pad.
“NASA is continuing work on the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft in NASA Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building before a second rollout to the launch pad later this month ahead of a potential launch in April,” NASA said in a statement.
NASA eyes Artemis II launch this April
Artemis II, that’s a few years behind schedule, was supposed to launch in February but suffered multiple delays due to hydrogen and helium gas leaks on the rocket. While the hydrogen leaks were fixed on the pad, the rocket had to be rolled back to the VAB to fix a helium flow issue on its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) – the second stage.
NASA has not specified launch windows beyond April for Artemis II. It is possible that the mission would slip to late 2026 or even early 2027 if it runs into unforeseen problems.
Prior to liftoff, NASA will conduct a wet dress rehearsal wherein the launch vehicle’s fuel tanks will be filled with cryogenic propellant and teams will conduct full countdown similar to launch day. During the conference, Isaacman may announce a date for the rehearsal which is necessary before committing to a launch date.
Considering the rehearsal is successful and all hurdles crossed, the four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen – will enter mandatory two-week quarantine before launch to prevent infection and illnesses before their mission.
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