Artemis II is the second flight, and first crewed mission, of the core component of Nasa’s Moon to Mars initiative, which aims to build a permanent, habitable lunar base as a prelude to eventual human flights to the red planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pvG_5PK4sk

Live

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RZ-B5WF4Bc

T minus  10 minutes and counting.

All systems are 'go'.

Launch and separation, all good.

They're in orbit.

A very expensive premature ejaculation of colonising two sterile eggs of just dust and rock. This is artificial insemination at its best.

Wow - it's pretty good.   

Wings open.

Awesome.

Thanks Greg. If I hadn't come here earlier and seen this thread I probably would have missed it live, they were holding at T minus 10 minutes when I 'tuned in'.

The first humans to orbit the Moon were the US crew of Apollo 8 who achieved this milestone on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968.

That year, Elvis did his Comeback Special to remember the good old days. 

Let's hope it's not too windy at the Dish!

All thanks to TRUMP ;)
;D

Jasin wrote on Apr 2^nd, 2026 at 9:39am:

All thanks to TRUMP ;) ;D

He literally had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Jasin wrote on Apr 2^nd, 2026 at 9:39am:

All thanks to TRUMP ;) ;D

You mean Mastercard, right? Because he takes credit for EVERYTHING!!!

Carl D wrote on Apr 2^nd, 2026 at 9:25am:

Awesome. Thanks Greg. If I hadn't come here earlier and seen this thread I probably would have missed it live, they were holding at T minus 10 minutes when I 'tuned in'.

Excellent.

It was a perfect launch.

Just came across this:

Previously Flown Components Of Artemis II


Quote:

One of the goals of SLS was to reuse remaining hardware from NASA’s Shuttle program where possible. This was intended to be a cost-saving measure, but given the high price of a single SLS stack costs more than two billion dollars: The SLS rocket for Artemis II (and each Artemis mission) costs approximately $4.1 billion per launch per the NASA OIG, with about half of that being tied up in the rocket and capsule. That’s a lot of money. Still, there (is) a lot of previously flown pieces of hardware on America’s newest moon rocket.

One of the core stage engines contained components from STS-1 (the first Space Shuttle mission in 1981).

Incredible.

Well, they're on their way home now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4JAONB9Qjo

Technical glitch? Or were they ignoring him?

Trump Crumbles After Call to Artemis II Astronauts Hits Awkward Silence

The silence lasted around one full minute.


Quote:

President Donald Trump blamed a technical glitch for an awkward, minute-long silence during his Monday-night phone call with the astronauts aboard the Artemis II lunar flyby spacecraft.

Quote:

The call then turned awkward. The astronauts did not respond, instead opting to watch the microphone they were using to communicate float through the air while smiling awkwardly at the camera. Approximately one full minute of silence followed, with Trump also quiet on the other end of the line.

Even in space there's no getting away from the idiot.

Splashdown just off San Diego tomorrow morning, around 8am.

10am, for you guys over east.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/03/science/artemis-2-astronauts-moon-whats-next

8 days  13 hrs 42 min elapsed time

4,666 mph velocity

77,191 miles distance to earth

179,428  miles  distance from moon

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/10/science/live-news/artemis-2-splashdown-astronauts-return

1 hr 49 min until splashdown

10,530  mph  velocity 

16,759 miles distance to earth

225,788  miles  distance from moon

NASA is preparing for Artemis II by planning for extreme emergencies at every stage of the mission

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctYr0vQxjss

58 min until splashdown

14,081 mph velocity

7,992 miles distance to earth

234,678 miles distance from moon

30 min until splashdown

19,270 mph velocity

2,559 miles distance to earth

23 min until splashdown

21,952 mph  velocity

1,099 miles distance to earth

18 min until splashdown

23,795 mph velocity

369 miles distance to earth

15 min until splashdown

24,505 mph velocity

127 miles distance to earth

10 min until splashdown

25,701 mph velocity

61 miles distance to earth

5 min until splashdown

1,887 mph velocity

15 miles distance to earth

It's pretty weird ... such a long technically difficult voyage, but the poor 4 on board have been left bobbing around in the ocean for well over a hour as the Navy fluffs around waiting to place the floatation ring and "front porch" around the capsule.

Much as I detest Elon Musk, he at least has a fantastic recovery system for getting the capsules out of the water.

NASA needs to revise how they do the recovery!

Text book re-entry and splash down.

All crew safe and well.

[smiley=thumbsup.gif]

greggerypeccary wrote on Apr 11^th, 2026 at 12:39pm:

Text book re-entry and splash down. All crew safe and well. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Yes well done NASA, Artemis crew and Donald J Trump.

Congratulations NASA and the Artemis crew on a successful return to Earth.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/800/cpsprodpb/vivo/live/images/2026/4/11/1aa9bdb6-7dc0-4eb4-82de-de657b562002.jpg

Carl D wrote on Apr 11^th, 2026 at 1:51pm:

Congratulations NASA and the Artemis crew on a successful return to Earth.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Something seemed to be wrong after splashdown.
They lost communication with the astronauts inside the capsule.
No mention of it now but -
it took well over an hour to get them out.   :-/

Bobby. wrote on Apr 11^th, 2026 at 3:59pm:

Carl D wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 1:51pm: Congratulations NASA and the Artemis crew on a successful return to Earth.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Something seemed to be wrong after splashdown. They lost communication with the astronauts inside the capsule. No mention of it now but - it took well over an hour to get them out.   :-/

It was no big deal.

Their satellite phone wasn't working, that's all.

Moreover, they had always planned for the recovery to take up to two hours.

greggerypeccary wrote on Apr 11^th, 2026 at 4:07pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 3:59pm: Carl D wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 1:51pm: Congratulations NASA and the Artemis crew on a successful return to Earth.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Something seemed to be wrong after splashdown. They lost communication with the astronauts inside the capsule. No mention of it now but - it took well over an hour to get them out.   :-/ It was no big deal. Their satellite phone wasn't working, that's all. Moreover, they had always planned for the recovery to take up to two hours.

Really? - I'll have to take your word on that.    :-/

Bobby. wrote on Apr 11^th, 2026 at 4:11pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 4:07pm: Bobby. wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 3:59pm: Carl D wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 1:51pm: Congratulations NASA and the Artemis crew on a successful return to Earth.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Something seemed to be wrong after splashdown. They lost communication with the astronauts inside the capsule. No mention of it now but - it took well over an hour to get them out.   :-/ It was no big deal. Their satellite phone wasn't working, that's all. Moreover, they had always planned for the recovery to take up to two hours. Really? - I'll have to take your word on that.    :-/

"The Orion spacecraft carrying the four astronauts is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere before splashing down off the coast of San Diego around 8:07pm EDT (5:07pm PDT) on Friday, April 10.

"Within two hours after splashdown, the crew will be extracted from Orion by recovery teams in helicopters, and then flown to the USS John P. Murtha. Aboard the ship, the astronauts will undergo post‑mission medical evaluations before being taken to shore to board an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston."

greggerypeccary wrote on Apr 11^th, 2026 at 5:46pm:

Bobby. wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 4:11pm: greggerypeccary wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 4:07pm: Bobby. wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 3:59pm: Carl D wrote on Apr 11th, 2026 at 1:51pm: Congratulations NASA and the Artemis crew on a successful return to Earth.  [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Something seemed to be wrong after splashdown. They lost communication with the astronauts inside the capsule. No mention of it now but - it took well over an hour to get them out.   :-/ It was no big deal. Their satellite phone wasn't working, that's all. Moreover, they had always planned for the recovery to take up to two hours. Really? - I'll have to take your word on that.    :-/ "The Orion spacecraft carrying the four astronauts is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere before splashing down off the coast of San Diego around 8:07pm EDT (5:07pm PDT) on Friday, April 10. "Within two hours after splashdown, the crew will be extracted from Orion by recovery teams in helicopters, and then flown to the USS John P. Murtha. Aboard the ship, the astronauts will undergo post‑mission medical evaluations before being taken to shore to board an aircraft bound for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston."

I'm surprised -
I'd wanna get out quickly in case the capsule is cracked somewhere and water starts flooding in.
I'd be scared the capsule would sink and drown all the astronauts.

The astronauts, live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYY4nnfxKbU