NASA Sets Launch Date for Crewed Artemis II Moon Mission

NASA officials announced today that the space agency plans to launch on March 6 a spacecraft carrying four astronauts that will orbit the moon and return, as part of the Artemis II mission, after overcoming rocket refueling hurdles in a second key launch rehearsal test this week, but cautioned that the remaining preparations could take more time. The American space agency completed a nearly 50-hour launch countdown rehearsal for Artemis II late Thursday, fueling the rocket with about 730,000 gallons of propellant without encountering the pesky hydrogen leaks that plagued the initial test last month, officials said during a press conference. Despite the test's success, officials cautioned that further preparation could take more time. The Artemis II mission is a crucial step in NASA's program to return humans to the Moon and further explore space. The completion of the second launch test is a significant development, as it confirms the reliability of the rocket system and NASA's readiness for the crewed mission. Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.