The Artemis 2 moon rocket and Orion wait for launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images) Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Get the Space.com Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
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An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterNASA's historic Artemis 2 moon mission is set to launch later today (April 1) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, taking a crew of four astronauts on a mission to the far side of the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 left in 1972
Skywatchers in Florida and Southern Georgia may just get to witness the historic event for themselves, as the 322-foot-tall Space Launch System defies Earth's gravity to carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen to orbit.
Weather permitting, the launch may even be glimpsed from as far afield as the city of Savannah in southern Georgia, roughly 124 miles (200 kilometers) away, according to a new NASA graphic posted to the social media site X.
The SLS rocket should become visible in the east for skywatchers in the nearby city of Orlando — about 50 miles (80 km) from the Kennedy launch pad — 10-20 seconds after liftoff. Those in Tampa on the west coast of the peninsula and Jacksonville to the north won't see the rocket until 30-40 seconds after ignition.
NASA graphic displaying launch visibility for the Artemis 2 launch. (Image credit: NASA)
Artemis 2 will be lost from view just 70 seconds after launch, having ascended to an altitude of over 40,000 feet (12, 190 meters) on its journey to low-Earth orbit — the first step in a 10-day mission that will take the Orion capsule on a mission to the far side of the moon.
Be sure to read our day-by-day breakdown of what to expect from each phase of the historic mission and to stay up to date with the latest news with our Artemis 2 live blog. You can also watch the launch live here on Space.com.
Get the Space.com NewsletterContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsEditor's Note: If you capture an image of the Artemis 2 launch and want to share it with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s)/footage, comments, name and location to [email protected].
Anthony WoodSkywatching WriterAnthony Wood joined Space.com in April 2025 after contributing articles to outlets including IGN, New Atlas and Gizmodo. He has a passion for the night sky, science, Hideo Kojima, and human space exploration, and can’t wait for the day when astronauts once again set foot on the moon.
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