NASA begins fuelling rocket to launch astronauts on the first lunar trip in half a century<\/p>\n
NASA begun fuelling its moon rocket Wednesday for humanity’s first lunar trip in more than half a century, aiming for an evening liftoff with four astronauts.<\/p>\n
Tensions were high as hydrogen fuel started flowing into the rocket hours ahead of the planned launch. Dangerous hydrogen leaks erupted during a countdown test earlier this year, forcing a lengthy flight delay.<\/p>\n
The launch team needs to load more than 700,000 gallons of fuel (2.6 million liters) into the 32-story Space Launch System rocket on the pad before the Artemis II crew can board.<\/p>\n
“It is time to fly,” commander Reid Wiseman said on the eve of launch via X. Favorable weather was forecast.<\/p>\n
Three Americans and one Canadian will fly around the moon without stopping or even orbiting – then head straight back for a Pacific splashdown. They will set a new distance record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth as they zoom some 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) beyond the moon and then hang a U-turn.<\/p>\n
Astronauts last flew to the moon during Apollo 17 in 1972.<\/p>\n
Artemis II is the opening shot of NASA’s grand plans for a permanent moon base. The space program is aiming for a moon landing near the lunar south pole in 2028.<\/p>\n
“The next era of exploration begins,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X.<\/p>\n
Best wishes already have started to pour in, including from England’s King Charles III to Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.<\/p>\n
Hansen will become the first non-U. S. citizen to launch to the moon. The crew also includes Christina Koch and Victor Glover, the first woman and first Black astronaut, respectively, destined for the moon.<\/p>\n
“In this historic moment, you stand as a bridge between nations and generations,” the king wrote in a letter to Hansen, “and I commend you for your courage, discipline and vision that have brought you to this threshold.”<\/p>\n