Space News
Space News - April 2026
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NASA’s Orion spacecraft lifted off aboard the Space Launch System at 23:35 BST on the 1st April 2026— eleven minutes into the two-hour launch window — carrying Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day free-return trajectory. It was the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972 — over half a century ago. With only minor battery and range issues quickly resolved, Commander Wiseman described the ascent as an “amazing ride.”
The historic lunar flyby was completed at 00:00 BST on the 7th April. Orion passed approximately 4,067 miles above the lunar surface, setting a new human spaceflight distance record set by Apollo 13 @252,756 miles from Earth. The mission produced stunning photographs — including breathtaking images of the far side of the Moon and a vivid Earth hanging in deep space.
Orion touched down at 01:07 BST on the 11th April in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego -. Re-entry and splashdown were textbook, with only minor satellite phone communication issues between Integrity (the Orion capsule's name) and the recovery team causing a slight delay before all four crew members were safely recovered to the USS John P. Murtha. where they underwent initial medical checks and were reported in good health.
They are now expected to be transferred ashore shortly for onward travel to Johnson Space Center in Houston. Over the coming days and weeks, they will readapt to gravity, complete formal medical evaluations and debriefs, and later take part in public engagements while their mission data supports planning for Artemis III.
🚀 Artemis II — Mission Timeline
Last update 11 April 2026 | All times in BST (UK)
Pre-Launch Coverage
| BST |
Event |
| 12:45 |
✅ Tanking begins — SLS rocket fuelling operations |
| 17:50 |
✅ Official NASA launch broadcast begins |
Launch Day — 1st April
| BST |
Event |
| 23:17 |
✅ T‑7 minutes — terminal countdown begins |
| 23:35 ✅ 🔥 |
LIFTOFF — Orion lifts off at 23:35 BST (11 min into window) |
| 23:25 |
✅ Max Q — maximum aerodynamic pressure on the rocket |
| 23:26 |
✅ Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation at ~158,000 ft |
| 23:32 |
✅ Core Stage separation — Orion spacecraft reaches orbit |
Mission Milestones
| BST |
Date |
Event |
| 00:49 |
3rd April |
✅ Translunar Injection (TLI) burn complete — 5 min 50 sec burn, Orion on free-return trajectory |
| 00:00 |
7th April |
✅ Lunar flyby closest approach — Orion passes ~4,067 miles above the lunar surface, setting a new human spaceflight distance record of 252,756 miles from Earth |
| 01:07 |
11th April |
✅ Splashdown — Pacific Ocean, off San Diego. Mission duration ~10 days |
The Crew Reid Wiseman (Commander) · Victor Glover (Pilot) · Christina Koch (Mission Specialist) · Jeremy Hansen, CSA (Mission Specialist)
Please see our new Artemis II page for mission photographs
🌌 More to Watch This April
Events and missions worth looking out for across the month
4–10 April
☄️ Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) — A Sungrazer to Watch
A newly discovered Kreutz sungrazing comet reaches perihelion on 4 April — its closest point to the Sun — and for a brief window around twilight could become visible to the naked eye low on the western horizon. Sungrazers are notoriously unpredictable; some fizzle out, others put on a spectacular show. C/2026 A1 was only found in January, so forecasts are still uncertain, but the potential is real.
Your best chance is 4–7 April, looking west in the 20–30 minutes after sunset. Binoculars will give you a big advantage. Even if it underperforms, this is a great talking point for RAG members — sungrazing comets are among the most dramatic objects in the solar system.
🔗 Sky & Telescope — Latest on Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS)
9 April
🛰️ ESA SMILE — Seeing Earth's Magnetic Shield for the First Time
ESA's Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer — SMILE — launches on 9 April on a mission that has never been attempted before: taking X-ray images of Earth's magnetosphere in real time. The magnetosphere is the invisible magnetic bubble that protects us from the solar wind, and it directly drives the aurora displays that many RAG members love to photograph.
Until now, scientists could only study the magnetosphere from single-point measurements. SMILE will image the whole system at once, transforming our understanding of how solar storms trigger auroral events — and potentially improving space weather forecasting.
🔗 ESA — SMILE Mission Overview
3–4 April
🪐 Mercury at Greatest Elongation — Best Morning Showing of 2026
Mercury is the planet most amateur astronomers have never seen — it rarely strays far enough from the Sun to be spotted easily. On 3–4 April it reaches greatest western elongation, its maximum angular distance from the Sun, making this the best opportunity of the entire year to track it down from the UK.
Look low in the eastern sky about 45 minutes before sunrise. Mercury will appear as a bright, steady point of light — no twinkling, unlike a star. Binoculars help, but on a clear morning it should be visible with the naked eye. Tick it off the list!
🔗 EarthSky — Mercury at Greatest Elongation
21–22 April
🌠 Lyrid Meteor Shower — Dark Skies and Perfect Timing
The Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers — Chinese astronomers documented them over 2,500 years ago — and this year conditions are as good as it gets. The peak on the night of 21–22 April coincides with a new moon, meaning no moonlight to wash out the fainter meteors. From a dark site you can expect up to 20 meteors per hour, with the occasional bright fireball thrown in.
The radiant point lies near the star Vega in Lyra, which rises well before midnight from the UK. Get away from streetlights, give your eyes 20 minutes to dark-adapt, and just look up — no equipment needed.
🔗 Royal Observatory Greenwich — Lyrid Meteor Shower 2026
