NASA postponed the ArtemisII mission in February after engineers discovered an issue with the Space Launch System rocket, forcing the agency to rethink its launch plans. Following the setback, the rocket was expected to be rolled back from the Kennedy Space Center launchpad to the Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida for further inspection and work.

With this move, NASA effectively ruled out attempting a launch during next available window, March6-11, pushing the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo17 further down the line. NASA's latest delay comes after a series of setbacks that began when the planned February 8 launch was cancelled due to problems uncovered during the first ArtemisII wet dress rehearsal on February 2.

Earlier target dates on 6 and 7 February had already been pushed back because cold weather and high winds at the Kennedy Space Center disrupted the rehearsal schedule.

By late February, the agency announced it would roll the ArtemisII rocket back into the Vehicle Assembly Building to shield the possibility of an April2026 launch, signalling a broader shift in the mission's timeline as engineers work through the remaining issues.

NASA's next available launch opportunity for ArtemisII falls on the evening of April1, 2026, when a full Pink Moon will be rising over Florida. The launch window runs from 6.24 pm to 10.24 pm. EDT, overlapping with the moonrise at 7.36 pm, creating a visually striking backdrop for the mission.

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6:24-10:24 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, Apr. 1.

8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, Apr. 3 to 00:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday, Apr. 4.

8:53 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Apr. 4 to 00:53 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Apr. 5.

9:40 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Apr. 5 to 1:40 a.m. EDT on Monday, Apr. 6.

10:36 p.m. EDT on Monday, Apr. 6 to 2:36 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Apr. 7.