Artemis II launch replay: How to watch NASA’s historic liftoff if you missed it live

The Artemis II lifted off on Wednesday, April 1, marking the first crewed mission toward the Moon since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. The mission is being closely followed as the NASA Artemis rocket launch astronauts head deeper into space than any humans in decades, with interest growing around where Artemis 2 is right now and ongoing Artemis II updates.

Launching from Kennedy Space Center, the spacecraft is on a 10-day journey that will carry four astronauts farther into space than anyone in human history. The mission comes 57 years after Neil Armstrong took his famous “one small step” on the Moon in 1969.

How to watch the Artemis II launch replay

If you missed the Artemis II liftoff, you can watch the Artemis II launch replay showing the Orion spacecraft carrying four astronauts blasting off.


A full replay of the NASA broadcast is also available, allowing viewers to scroll back to the beginning to watch the entire launch sequence. Watch the exact moment Artemis II launched in the video below.


The mission is drawing comparisons with the last shuttle launch, as it marks another milestone in human spaceflight and a renewed push toward long-term lunar exploration.

How to track Artemis II in real time

To track the Artemis II in real time, NASA has launched the Artemis Real-time Orbit Website (AROW), allowing the public to follow the Orion spacecraft throughout its roughly 10-day journey.

Users can monitor the mission by visiting NASA’s tracking page or using the NASA mobile app. The tracker displays Orion’s position, distance from Earth and the Moon, velocity, and mission duration. Data is transmitted from onboard sensors to Mission Control at NASA Johnson Space Center and updates in real time from about one minute after liftoff until reentry.

The mobile app also offers an augmented reality feature that shows Orion’s position relative to your location once the spacecraft separates from the rocket’s upper stage, roughly three hours into the mission.

Artemis II status: where is Artemis now?

According to mission timelines, the spacecraft will not reach the Moon’s vicinity until day six of the mission—Monday, April 6. At that point, the crew will approach from the Moon’s western hemisphere, coming within roughly 4,000 miles of the lunar surface. This Artemis II status update has driven interest in Artemis 2 tracking and Artemis tracking tools as viewers follow the spacecraft’s path in real time.

Mission controllers at NASA Johnson Space Center are monitoring the spacecraft’s trajectory and providing periodic Artemis II updates. As of the latest Artemis update, the mission remains on schedule for its lunar flyby before returning to Earth.

Will Artemis II land on the Moon?

No. The current mission is a test flight designed to validate systems before a future landing. NASA plans another crewed rehearsal, Artemis III, in 2027 to test rendezvous and docking procedures with lunar landers and evaluate next-generation spacesuits.

A lunar landing is expected during Artemis IV in 2028, when astronauts are scheduled to head to the Moon’s south pole. The agency has selected two commercial lander concepts for future missions, SpaceX’s Starship and a lander from Blue Origin, with final assignments to be decided closer to launch.

NASA aims to conduct additional missions, including Artemis V, to support a sustained human presence on the Moon. Future plans include building surface infrastructure, deploying robotic rovers, and expanding international participation.