NASA Set to Launch Artemis II Crewed Mission Around the Moon

The NASA is preparing to launch its ambitious Artemis II mission on Wednesday evening, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon in a major step toward returning humans to its surface.

Mission managers confirmed readiness following a final review on Monday, approving the launch of the Space Launch System rocket, which stands 98 meters tall and carries the Orion spacecraft. Liftoff is scheduled for 6:24 pm Eastern Time (22:24 GMT).

The rocket will depart from the Kennedy Space Center, near the historic launch site used during the Apollo program more than 50 years ago.

The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman, alongside Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The team arrived in Florida from Houston last week and completed a two-week quarantine ahead of launch.

Officials indicated that weather conditions are favorable, with only a 20 percent chance of disruption during the two-hour launch window. Backup opportunities are available through April 6, with an additional window later in the month if needed.

Originally scheduled for February and later March, the launch was delayed due to a hydrogen leak that required further technical checks.

The mission will send the crew on a trajectory covering approximately 406,000 kilometers, making it one of the longest crewed journeys toward the Moon. Artemis II is a critical step in NASA’s broader Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustained human presence near the Moon’s south pole.

The agency is targeting a future crewed lunar landing as part of Artemis IV by 2028, as part of an international race to return humans to the Moon ahead of planned missions by China later in the decade.