NASA's Artemis II mission, from its delays to the crew's flight around the moon

Active · last development Sep 9, 2026: “Artemis II moonshot commander and pilot are hanging up their astronaut suits at NASA”

What this arc covers

NASA's Artemis II mission, which carried four astronauts around the moon and back: the delays that pushed back its launch, the rocket's rollout and the problems in its rehearsal, the launch in April 2026, the trouble with the spacecraft's toilet and the crew's photographs, the flyby that broke Apollo 13's distance record, the crew's return home, and the honors and retirements that followed.

Florida

Earliest story we hold Dec 5, 2024 · 27 stories · 153 independent sources (counted once each) · 643 days

Part ofNASADonald TrumpFloridaHoustonPeople's Republic of China

Part of Human spaceflight

  1. The Starliner astronauts stranded in space for nine monthsMay 2, 2024 – Feb 19, 2026
  2. NASA's Artemis II mission, from its delays to the crew's flight around the moonThis arcDec 5, 2024 – Sep 9, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 9– 102026Artemis II moonshot commander and pilot are hanging up their astronaut suits at NASA20 articles · 17 independent sources
0 left, 4 center, 0 right
Aug 25– 302026Artemis II astronauts receive nation’s highest space honor for their successful moonshot36 articles · 27 independent sources
4 left, 10 center, 5 right
Jul 8– 92026Artemis II astronauts reunite with their moonship 3 months after record-breaking flight15 articles · 14 independent sources
0 left, 2 center, 1 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Mar 27 – Apr 1, 2026Watch live: NASA Artemis II launch time, astronauts, mission updates112 articles · 56 independent sources
    1. Mar 27, 2026Artemis II astronauts arrive in Florida to prepare for launch to the moon
    2. Mar 30, 2026The Apollo missions sent astronauts to the moon. With Artemis, NASA wants them to stay.
  2. Apr 2 – 4, 2026Artemis II Mission: Astronauts nearly halfway to the moon, NASA says116 articles · 54 independent sources
    1. Apr 2, 2026Artemis II officially begins its journey to the moon
    2. Apr 4, 2026Artemis II astronauts are more than halfway to the moon as they seek to break Apollo 13's record
  3. Apr 3 – 7, 2026Artemis II photos: See first images of moon, Earth flyby mission52 articles · 31 independent sources
    1. Apr 3, 2026See the 'amazing' photos of Earth taken on historic Artemis II moon mission
    2. Apr 5, 2026Artemis II: Photos of moon, Earth, space from NASA, CSA astronauts
  4. Apr 5 – 7, 2026Artemis II breaks Apollo 13’s distance record with daring moon flyby that included a solar eclipse134 articles · 52 independent sources
  5. Apr 8 – 12, 2026Artemis II's moon-traveling astronauts return home to cheers after record-breaking trip166 articles · 64 independent sources
    1. Apr 8, 2026Only center coverage:Artemis II crew prepares as spacecraft heads back from moon toward Earth for splashdown
    2. Apr 9, 2026Only lean-left coverage:NASA’s Artemis II moon mission faces the final hurdle—coming home
    3. Apr 12, 2026NASA already has next Artemis flight in its sights following astronauts' triumphant moon flyby

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Dec 2024Apr 2025Aug 2025Dec 2025May 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Dec 2, 2024610336
Jan 12, 202637014
Jan 26, 20260114
Feb 2, 202637124
Feb 16, 202648119
Feb 23, 202647215
Mar 9, 20261206
Mar 23, 20260213
Mar 30, 2026194716324
Apr 6, 2026244513342
May 4, 202611114
Jul 6, 202602115
Aug 24, 2026410535
Sep 7, 202604020

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

29% left · 57% center · 14% right of 153 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 27 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. December 2024

    Dec 5– 6NASA again pushes back Artemis II mission, further delaying moon program38 articles · 26 independent sources
    6 left, 10 center, 3 right

  2. January 2026

    Jan 16– 17Artemis II moon rocket scheduled for rollout ahead of anticipated launch9 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 6 center, 0 right
  3. Jan 17NASA's new moon rocket heads to the pad ahead of astronaut launch as early as February6 articles · 6 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 0 right
  4. Jan 30– Feb 3NASA delays Artemis II moon launch after issues during rehearsal29 articles · 19 independent sources
    3 left, 8 center, 2 right

  5. February 2026

    Feb 17– 20NASA targets March for first moon mission by Artemis astronauts after fueling test success12 articles · 12 independent sources
    3 left, 4 center, 0 right
  6. Feb 21NASA’s moon rocket hit by new problem expected to postpone astronauts’ lunar trip7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 1 right
  7. Feb 21– 27NASA announces major overhaul of Artemis moon program: "We19 articles · 17 independent sources
    4 left, 7 center, 2 right

  8. March 2026

    Mar 12NASA Artemis II updates: March rollout, 7 April launch date opportunities8 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  9. Mar 27– Apr 1Watch live: NASA Artemis II launch time, astronauts, mission updates112 articles · 56 independent sources
    11 left, 23 center, 11 right
  10. Mar 28– Apr 1Humans will journey to the moon for first time in over 50 years12 articles · 11 independent sources
    4 left, 5 center, 1 right
  11. Mar 31Countdown underway for long-awaited Artemis II moon mission3 articles · 2 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  12. Mar 31NASA Begins Countdown For Humanity's First Moon Launch in 53 Years6 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 1 right

  13. April 2026

    Apr 1NASA begins fueling rocket to launch astronauts on the first lunar trip in half a century16 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 0 right
  14. Apr 1– 5Artemis II toilet acts up again as astronauts speed toward moon25 articles · 20 independent sources
    3 left, 8 center, 3 right
  15. Apr 2Artemis II's moonbound toilet is working again to astronauts' relief after overnight fix11 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 1 right
  16. Apr 2– 4Artemis II Mission: Astronauts nearly halfway to the moon, NASA says116 articles · 54 independent sources
    10 left, 26 center, 8 right
  17. Apr 3– 4Artemis II's moonbound astronauts capture Earth's brilliant blue beauty as they leave it behind25 articles · 16 independent sources
    0 left, 5 center, 2 right
  18. Apr 3– 7Artemis II photos: See first images of moon, Earth flyby mission52 articles · 31 independent sources
    9 left, 13 center, 6 right
  19. Apr 5– 7Artemis II breaks Apollo 13’s distance record with daring moon flyby that included a solar eclipse134 articles · 52 independent sources
    7 left, 27 center, 4 right
  20. Apr 7Trump calls Artemis II astronauts "modern-day pioneers" in live conversation after circling the moon13 articles · 13 independent sources
    4 left, 3 center, 4 right
  21. Apr 7– 8Astronauts make long-distance call to space station on return trip from the moon16 articles · 13 independent sources
    2 left, 6 center, 0 right
  22. Apr 7Artemis II live tracker, day 7: Astronauts returning to Earth after historic lunar flyby9 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  23. Apr 8– 12Artemis II's moon-traveling astronauts return home to cheers after record-breaking trip166 articles · 64 independent sources
    16 left, 29 center, 11 right

  24. May 2026

    May 5NASA releases over 12,000 new Artemis II photos - See the amazing pictures of the moon14 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right

  25. July 2026

    Jul 8– 9Artemis II astronauts reunite with their moonship 3 months after record-breaking flight15 articles · 14 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right

  26. August 2026

    Aug 25– 30Artemis II astronauts receive nation’s highest space honor for their successful moonshot36 articles · 27 independent sources
    4 left, 10 center, 5 right

  27. September 2026

    Sep 9– 10Artemis II moonshot commander and pilot are hanging up their astronaut suits at NASA20 articles · 17 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 0 right