NASA’s Artemis II mission, launched on April 1, 2026, marked the first crewed mission around the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket departed from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, captivating an audience of over 300,000 onlookers.
Following the launch, NASA released a variety of engineering footage captured with advanced imaging techniques, providing unique insights into the rocket’s launch sequence. The footage includes multiple spectrums of light, which allowed technicians to filter out intense brightness, presenting a clear view of the launch.
Artemis II was a crucial step in NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, aimed at establishing a sustainable lunar presence by the 2030s. It involved a crew of four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—who undertook a 10-day journey around the moon. The next mission, Artemis III, set for mid-2027, will include a rendezvous with lunar landers and test interoperability, paving the way for Artemis IV, which aims for the first crewed lunar landing in 2028.
