The Digester
science

Artemis II must clear 8.5 critical minutes after launch

NASA engineer Carlos García-Galán outlines the stage separations, the eight and a half minute high risk window, and the 24 hour high Earth orbit checks after the Artemis II launch.

Apr 1st 2026 · United States

Insights

  • The launch is scheduled from Kennedy Space Center at 18:24 local time (22:24 GMT).
  • The mission faces its highest risk in the first 8.5 minutes after liftoff.
  • The first stage with two solid motors separates about 2.5 minutes after launch and falls into the Atlantic.
  • The launch escape tower is jettisoned around five minutes if it is not needed for an emergency.
  • By 8.5 minutes the stack should be in the intended Earth orbit and the ICPS third stage will raise the vehicle to a high orbit for 24 hours of system checks.
  • The four crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen will perform a manual docking simulation and Orion will test a new laser communications terminal.

Sources