Artemis 2 crew heads to Florida for historic Moon mission launch on April 1, aiming for a 10-day lunar journey
Countdown begins
The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft named “Integrity” have recently returned to the launch pad after repairs.
Final preparations include engineering tests, radio frequency checks, and closeouts before launch.
NASA will not conduct another wet dress rehearsal, and propellant loading will happen on launch day.
As of March 18, the crew is in a 14-day quarantine at Johnson Space Center, set to move to Kennedy Space Center on March 27.
If the mission cannot launch on April 1, alternative dates are available through April 6, with another window starting April 30.
Crew highlights
The Artemis 2 mission, announced in April 2023, features several milestones for space travel.
Glover will be the first Black astronaut to fly to the Moon, while Koch will be the first woman and Hansen the first Canadian.
This mission aims to take humans farther from Earth than ever before, surpassing the Apollo 13 record of 248,655 miles.
The flight will be the second launch of NASA’s Space Launch System, following the uncrewed Artemis 1 test flight in 2022.
