Later today, NASA is set to launch its Artemis 2 mission around the Moon. This is the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. The launch will be live streamed from various sources, including official and unofficial streams. Here’s your guide for how to find all of today’s and future coverage.
Where to watch NASA’s official coverage
NASA is already live for full coverage of Artemis 2’s launch on the agency’s YouTube channel. NASA’s YouTube channel will be the only place to find all the coverage that NASA plans to provide for the Artemis 2 launch.
NASA plans to provide much more than just a single launch livestream. There will also be daily mission updates, press conferences, and special coverage for Artemis 2’s return.
For launch, NASA’s YouTube channel will be the main hub until closer to Artemis 2’s liftoff time, which could be as soon as 6:24 PM ET. Closer to liftoff, coverage of Artemis 2 will be live on NASA’s Twitch page, X account, and on the agency’s streaming service, NASA+. According to the agency’s YouTube channel, this coverage, called “Crew Launches to the Moon,” will begin around 1:00 PM ET.
NASA will also be providing continuous views from Orion only on YouTube later tonight. Below is a graphic of coverage and where to find all of Artemis 2’s coverage from NASA.
Where to find unofficial coverage
Artemis 2’s launch is expected to be a major news event, meaning every major news agency will be there to cover the launch at Kennedy Space Center. So you will likely be able to find coverage by Fox, ABC, CNN, BBC, and more at their respective channels.
But if you’re looking for a bit more “in the weeds” coverage, niche space sites like Everyday Astronaut and NASASpaceflight will have coverage starting later today.
What to expect today
Whether you’re going to be one of the many travelers down in Florida today hoping to see the launch with your own eyes or watching from the comfort of your own home, a launch today is not a guarantee. The Space Launch System, the rocket used for the Artemis 2 mission, is not a well-used or perfect system.
The fuel used to propel the rocket into space is hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen rockets are prone to leaks and this propellent caused many delays during Artemis 1.
Artemis 2 has a two-hour launch window today starting at 6:24 PM ET. Holds to the countdown can happen at any point, even up to the final seconds before liftoff. While NASA has time for holds, the more holds and issues that arise, the greater the chance of a “scrub” or delay of the launch to another day. With propellant loading already underway, the next launch opportunity if that does happen would be on Friday.
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