Key Takeaways
- Artemis II blasted off on April 1, 2026, marking the beginning of a 10-day lunar orbital mission with four crew members
- This mission will cover approximately 700,000 miles, setting a new human distance record in space travel
- Public space companies including Redwire and Rocket Lab experienced stock price increases of up to 9% post-launch
- SpaceX’s current valuation stands at $1.3 trillion with plans for an IPO potentially generating $75 billion
- The Artemis IV mission is scheduled for 2028, marking humanity’s return to the lunar surface after a 56-year hiatus
On April 1, 2026, at approximately 6:35 p.m. Eastern time, NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission carries astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen inside an Orion spacecraft, propelled by NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket.
Liftoff.
The Artemis II mission launched from @NASAKennedy at 6:35pm ET (2235 UTC), propelling four astronauts on a journey around the Moon.
Artemis II will pave the way for future Moon landings, as well as the next giant leap — astronauts on Mars. pic.twitter.com/ENQA4RTqAc
— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2026
The massive rocket reaches approximately 320 feet in height, making it marginally smaller than SpaceX’s Starship vehicle. Over 900,000 viewers tuned into the live broadcast of the historic event.
Currently, the astronaut team is conducting critical system evaluations while in Earth orbit. Following successful completion of these checks, the spacecraft is scheduled to begin its lunar trajectory on Thursday, performing a complete circumnavigation of the Moon before returning to Earth.
This historic flight represents the inaugural crewed mission in the Artemis program and marks humanity’s first journey beyond Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission concluded in 1972. The previous distance record was established by the Apollo 13 crew in 1970, reaching approximately 248,000 miles from Earth. This mission is projected to surpass that milestone.
The Orion capsule was manufactured through a collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Airbus. Boeing and Northrop Grumman contributed essential components for the SLS rocket system. Additional spacecraft systems were provided by Honeywell and L3Harris Technologies.
Redwire, a key supplier of imaging and navigation technology utilized in the mission, experienced a 7% stock price increase on launch day. For comparison, the S&P 500 index rose 0.7% during the same trading session.
Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, Intuitive Machines, Firefly Aerospace, York Space Systems, and Redwire collectively posted gains ranging from 1% to 9%. These six companies now command a combined market capitalization exceeding $80 billion.
Market Response to Historic Launch
The successful launch served as a catalyst for investor enthusiasm regarding expanding space sector activities. The six smaller space-focused companies mentioned carry a collective market value surpassing $80 billion, representing approximately 23 times their projected 2026 revenues. These firms are forecasting roughly double their revenue year-over-year for 2026.
SpaceX, which remains privately owned, commands an estimated valuation of approximately $1.3 trillion. Reports indicate the company is preparing for an initial public offering that could generate as much as $75 billion. SpaceX currently dominates the global orbital launch market with more than half of all launches. Its Starlink satellite internet service boasts over 10 million subscribers supported by more than 10,000 satellites in orbit.
NASA has invested over $30 billion in SLS rocket development and an additional $25 billion on the Orion spacecraft. In comparison, SpaceX has raised an estimated $12 billion throughout its entire corporate history to develop comparable capabilities.
Future Artemis Program Milestones
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman characterized the launch as the initial phase of an ambitious series of missions designed to establish a sustained lunar presence. The Artemis III mission, originally conceived as the program’s first lunar landing, now includes an additional test mission before astronauts make surface contact.
Artemis IV currently has a 2028 target date and would deliver astronauts to the Moon’s South Pole region — positioning the United States ahead of China’s planned crewed lunar mission to the same area, which is not expected before 2030.
President Donald Trump addressed the launch during a national broadcast, stating: “They are on their way and God bless them, these are brave people.”
