Free-return route

A view of Earth from NASA's Orion spacecraft as it orbits the planet during the Artemis II test flight. The spacecraft launched on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, for a mission of about 10 days around the moon and back to Earth. Credit: NASA

Live broadcast: Artemis II nears lunar landing: orbit change maneuver expected tonight (Thursday-Friday)

After completing the first orbit maneuvers around Earth and a close flight demonstration, NASA is preparing for the ignition that will send Orion into a free-return orbit around the moon; a brief communication loss was also reported in the first hours of the mission