NASA is preparing for its first crewed lunar mission in more than five decades, with the Artemis II launch scheduled for Wednesday evening, The Associated Press reported.
The 32-story Space Launch System rocket will carry four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule on a roughly 10-day journey that includes orbiting Earth, traveling to the moon, looping around it, and returning for a Pacific Ocean splashdown.
According to Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the launch director for NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, the team is in «excellent shape,» with both the technical systems and the weather currently favorable. The mission had previously been delayed from February due to hydrogen fuel leaks, followed by a clogged helium pressurization line that required additional repairs and a temporary rollback to the hangar. The rocket returned to the launch pad about a week and a half ago.
The Artemis II crew represents the U.S. and Canada and features people of different genders and backgrounds. American astronaut Victor Glover noted that he hopes space exploration will eventually be seen simply as part of shared human history, rather than defined by such milestones.
