NASA's Artemis II rocket launched at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center, visible in cities across Florida and as far north as Myrtle Beach, Georgia. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket left a bright contrail visible from Gainesville, Port St. Lucie, Jupiter, and Orange City, with NASA releasing a visibility map showing most of Florida and parts of southern Georgia in range. The launch occurred hours before the April full moon on April Fool's Day, with clear skies allowing the rocket to be seen beyond Cape Canaveral.
The mission marks the first crewed flight of NASA's Artemis program, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch will pilot the Orion crew capsule, preparing the way for a lunar landing as early as 2028. The launch was broadcast globally, with photographers capturing the SLS rocket's ascent from Kennedy Space Center.
Visibility varied by location, with Jacksonville and West Palm Beach often seeing launches depending on weather. NASA's map indicated that nearly all of Florida was within range, though cloud cover could obscure views in some areas. The rocket's brightness allowed it to be spotted in parts of South Carolina and northern Florida, with residents sharing photos of the event on social media.
The Artemis II mission is the second in NASA's multibillion-dollar program to return humans to the moon. Officials emphasized the flight's significance in testing systems for future lunar landings, with the crew set to orbit the moon and return to Earth. The launch drew crowds to Kennedy Space Center, where spectators watched the SLS rocket ascend before disappearing into the night sky.