CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has commenced a two-day practice countdown ahead of the critical fueling of its new moon rocket, setting the stage for the historic Artemis II mission, which could see its crew of four astronauts launch on a lunar flyby as early as next week.
The astronauts, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, are already in quarantine to prevent exposure to germs. They will be the first humans to voyage to the moon since 1972, monitoring the countdown remotely from their base in Houston before traveling to Kennedy Space Center once the rocket is cleared for flight.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, towering at 322 feet, has been stationed on the launch pad for two weeks. During the countdown, NASA teams plan to fill the rocket's tanks with over 700,000 gallons of super-cold fuel, just stopping short of ignition. A recent cold snap had previously delayed the fueling test, shifting the potential launch date to February 8 at the earliest.
Once launched, the astronauts will ride the Orion capsule, embarking on a 10-day mission that includes a loop around the moon and a return to Earth without any significant stops, culminating in a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
NASA's Artemis II mission aims to advance human exploration and lay the groundwork for future lunar landings and Mars exploration, capturing the public's imagination as it revives the agency's legacy of lunar exploration.
