The last lunar mission by NASA occurred in December 1972 with Apollo 17.
NASA is now counting down to the launch of Artemis II on Wednesday, marking the first crewed mission to the moon in over five decades. After a series of significant setbacks during the past year, NASA has moved forward with preparations for the crewed lunar orbit flight and system checks for launch.
“Engineers are powering up flight hardware, checking communication links, and preparing the rocket’s cryogenic systems for the precise fueling sequence required to load hundreds of thousands of gallons of super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen,” NASA stated in a countdown press release.
The targeted launch time is 6:24 p.m. ET, with a window extending until 8:24 p.m. ET. Should any weather or technical issues arise, NASA has established backup windows, including a secondary launch opportunity from 7:22 p.m. to 9:22 p.m. ET on Thursday and a final window from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on Friday.
The Artemis II mission will be launched from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39B platform in Merritt Island, Florida. It is designed as a crewed lunar orbit flight to test landing systems for future missions that will land astronauts on the moon’s surface.
Artemis III is scheduled for mid-2027, followed by Artemis IV in early 2028 with a lunar landing and Artemis V, aimed at late 2028 with another lunar landing. NASA previously stated that Artemis V will be when it begins constructing its moon base.
The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
