Artemis II Launch - PAO-D2

The Ignition Overpressure Protection and Sound Suppression water deluge system activates during launch of NASA’s Artemis II test flight at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The water deluge system releases about 450,000 gallons of water across the mobile launcher and flame deflector to reduce the extreme heat and energy generated by the rocket during ignition and liftoff. Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, along with Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), are on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back with splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California on Friday, April 10.

Location: Launch Complex 39B