The launch of the Artemis rocket towards the moon in the video.Video: Watson
For the first time in over 50 years, NASA is sending people to the moon with the Artemis II mission. The rocket launch was slightly delayed, but was successful. The most important information at a glance.
April 1, 2026, 6:07 p.mApr 02, 2026, 03:44
This is how the start went
The rocket was scheduled to be ignited on Thursday night, April 2, 2026 at 12:24 a.m. (Swiss time). However, it took a few minutes longer for the countdown to expire and it was briefly paused. But then the successful start took place. The SLS rocket and capsule were on their way to the moon at initially over 1200 km/h.
The SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with an Orion capsule during liftoff.Image: keystone
Who is on board?
On board the rocket are astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen as well as astronaut Christina Koch. The quartet forms an extraordinary composition in several respects.
Christina Koch
The NASA astronaut, born on January 29, 1979 in the US state of Michigan, is the first woman on board a lunar mission. She studied physics and electrical engineering and then worked, among other things, as a scientist in Antarctica. Koch has already taken part in a long-term mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and holds the record for the longest stay in space by a woman at 328 days. The 47-year-old lives with her husband in Texas.
Reid Wiseman
Nasa astronaut Wiseman, born on November 11, 1975 in the US state of Maryland, is the commander of the “Artemis 2” mission. Wiseman was part of the US Navy and a test pilot and has already completed an astronaut mission to the ISS. The 50-year-old is the father of two daughters; his wife died in 2020.
Victor Glover
Nasa astronaut Victor Glover, born on April 30, 1976 in the US state of California, is the first non-white person on board a lunar mission. Glover studied engineering and has already completed a deployment on board the ISS. The 49-year-old is married and has four daughters.
Jeremy Hansen
Born on January 27, 1976 in the province of Ontario, astronaut Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian and the first non-American to board a lunar mission. He has worked as a pilot for a long time and has never been in space before. The 50-year-old is married and has three children.
The quartet before the rocket launch (Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, from left to right).Image: EPA
This is what the mission looks like
The quartet of astronauts will fly around the moon once within ten days before returning to Earth. The overall flight path resembles a figure eight around the Earth and the Moon. The crew is expected to cover a total of more than 2.3 million kilometers. At their furthest point they are said to be around 370,000 kilometers from Earth, around 7,500 kilometers behind the far side of the Moon. From there they can then see the Earth and the moon at the same time – and could move further away from the Earth than humans have ever done before.
The “Orion” capsule flies largely fully automatically. For test purposes, the astronauts should repeatedly steer manually. In addition, they must always check all systems and their own health using numerous tests, sensors and measurements, including for scientific research. Her tasks also include photos and analyzes of the Earth and the Moon.
This is how the Artemis project continues
The billion-dollar “Artemis” program – named after the goddess of the moon and twin sister of the god Apollo from Greek mythology – was announced by NASA in 2017. It originally envisaged a manned moon landing (“Artemis 3”) by 2024. Since then, however, there have been several postponements.
The new NASA boss Jared Isaacman recently completely overturned the “Artemis” plans. The “Artemis 3” mission, which was originally intended to land a crew on the moon in 2028 at the earliest, is now scheduled to start next year, but will not land on the moon.
Instead, the “Orion” capsule should dock with one or two lunar landers in space during this mission. In addition, there may even be two moon landing attempts in 2028 – “Artemis 4” and “Artemis 5”. A permanent human presence on the moon is also envisaged
That’s what Trump says
The US President also commented on the rocket launch. As usual, he didn’t skimp on superlatives: “We’re winning in space, on Earth and everywhere in between – economically, militarily and now beyond the stars,” said Trump shortly before the start on his online platform Truth Social. Later, at the beginning of his speech on the Iran war, Trump briefly discussed the moon mission. He spoke of the “greatest and never-before-seen” space project that the USA would undertake.
Swiss participation in mission
In America’s self-congratulation, the US President forgot that the latest NASA mission was an international project. Many private space companies and international partners are involved in the program, including the European space agency Esa.
Switzerland also contributed technology to the mission. Swiss companies contributed components to Esa’s service module: The control mechanisms for aligning the solar panels come from Beyond Gravity in Zurich. Apco Technologies in Aigle VD also supplied mechanical ground equipment that supported the service module during construction and transport, as well as the rotating platform for assembly of the module.
New race in space travel
For the United States, returning to the moon strategically symbolizes technological and geopolitical leadership in the space race. A permanent presence there is seen as a way to secure national interests in space travel and to be able to shape international cooperation. US President Trump, who launched the program during his first term in office, also sees it as a personal success.
There has been a new race by spacefaring nations to the moon for years. The USA’s biggest competitor is China, which aims to put people on the moon by 2030. Russia also wants to take people to the moon, but is facing delays due to economic difficulties.
(sda/dpa/val/con)