Navigating streaming services is basically a nightmare at this point. On top of their constantly shifting libraries, it feels like nearly every week includes the announcement of yet another subscription price hike. If you’re looking for a temporary reprieve and some truly unique content this week, an unsung hero is ready to help you out. Folks, it’s time to tune into C-SPAN for NASA’s upcoming Artemis II launch.
Yes, that C-SPAN. The same channel that has been broadcasting government hearings daily since 1979.
Through Sunday, April 5, CSPAN is airing daily coverage of all things Artemis II. The NASA mission deserves it, after all. The four astronauts are scheduled to launch no earlier than Wednesday, April 1, and when they do it will kick off a major new era of space exploration. Over 10 days, the Artemis II crew will complete the first human flyby loop around the moon since the Apollo 8 mission in 1972.
The trip is expected to pave the way for NASA’s return to the lunar surface, estimated for 2027. The mission will also set new milestones and break multiple records in the process. Upon its return, Artemis II will have carried the first woman, first person of color, and the first non-United States citizen beyond low Earth orbit. It will also travel about 4,800 miles beyond the moon to surpass Apollo 8’s total distance, and set a new reentry top speed of around 25,000 miles per hour.
C-SPAN’s special programming began on March 29 and will continue through April 5. It features daily news briefings before all-day launch coverage expected on April 1. On March 31 and April 4, C-SPAN2 will air 24 hours of documentaries on the history of U.S. crewed spaceflights. There will also be live call-in sessions, as well as commentary from guests from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. While the exact date isn’t confirmed yet, C-SPAN will also cover Artemis II’s atmospheric reentry and splashdown.
No T.V.? No problem. You can also watch all of the coverage on C-SPAN.org, the C-SPAN YouTube channel, C-SPAN Radio, and the C-SPAN mobile app. Check out the upcoming programming schedule below.
C-SPAN’S Artemis II Coverage Schedule
Monday, March 30
- LIVE 5:00 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): NASA news conference
Tuesday, March 31
- LIVE 1:00 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): NASA pre-launch news conference
Wednesday, April 1 – expected Launch Day
- LIVE 1 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): C-SPAN’S extended live all-day launch coverage begins
Saturday, April 4
- 24 hours Historic Space Programming (C-SPAN2): American History TV marathon of historic programming about America’s manned spaceflight program
Sunday, April 5
- C-SPAN’s “Q&A” series (C-SPAN): Program will feature a history of the Space Shuttle, including video shot on location at The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum
