ISTANBUL

NASA is scheduled to launch its Artemis II mission Wednesday, sending four astronauts on a crewed journey around the Moon for the first time in more than five decades.

The launch of the Orion aboard the Space Launch System is set for no earlier than 6:24 pm EDT (22:24 GMT) from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Weather conditions are forecast to be largely favorable, with an 80% chance of suitable launch conditions.

Launch teams completed final preparations, including critical checks on the rocket’s four RS-25 engines and onboard systems. Non-essential personnel were cleared from the launch pad ahead of fueling operations, which began earlier in the day. Coverage started at 7:45 am EDT (11:45 GMT), with full launch coverage from 12:50 pm EDT (16:50 GMT) across multiple platforms. 

Artemis II will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon before returning to Earth.

Although the crew will not land on the lunar surface, the mission will allow new observations of parts of the Moon not previously seen by humans, providing data that could help identify potential landing sites for future missions.

The astronauts will test onboard systems, conduct scientific observations, and document the Moon from a greater distance than previous human missions, while collaborating with scientists on Earth.

Artemis II is regarded as a key step toward Artemis III, which aims to return humans to the Moon’s surface, and contributes to NASA’s long-term goal of establishing a sustained human presence on and around the Moon as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars.