NASA sets March 6 as earliest date for first crewed mission to the Moon in 50 years

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NASA sets March 6 as earliest date for first crewed mission to the Moon in 50 years

Feb 20, 2026 6:30 PM EST

NASA sets March 6 as earliest date for first crewed mission to the Moon in 50 years

NASA on Friday set March 6 as the earliest possible launch date for Artemis 2, the first crewed flyby mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.

Washington DC - NASA on Friday set March 6 as the earliest possible launch date for Artemis 2, the first crewed flyby mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.

This image was taken by the Apollo 17 astronauts (Dr. H. Jack Schmitt and Gene Cernan). It illustrates a view of the rim of Shorty crater and the lunar roving vehicle against a backdrop of the mountain-like massifs that define the Taurus-Littrow valley. © NASA, ESA, and J. Garvin (NASA/GSFC)

Lori Glaze, a senior official with the US space agency, cautioned that pad work, a flight readiness review, and a dress rehearsal analysis needed to be completed in order to meet that date.

"We need to successfully navigate all of those but assuming that happens, it puts us in a very good position to target March 6," Glaze said.

NASA rehearsed the launch of its massive SLS rocket on Thursday.

Technical problems in early February cut short an earlier so-called wet dress rehearsal of the launch of the Artemis 2 mission.

But on Thursday, the US space agency reported that things proceeded as planned, concluding at "T-29 seconds" in the countdown.

The wet dress rehearsal is conducted under real conditions – with full rocket tanks and technical checks – at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with engineers practicing the maneuvers needed to carry out an actual launch.

The setback in February, which included a liquid hydrogen leak, dashed hopes of a lift-off this month.

Three American astronauts and one Canadian make up the Artemis 2 crew.