The countdown is on for NASA’s historic Artemis II launch for a mission headed to the moon!
NASA Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen are set to embark Wednesday on a 10-day mission orbiting the moon.
The launch marks the first time in more than half a century since NASA sent humans past low-Earth orbit.
The mission’s main objectives include testing core systems, including the SLS rocket (Space Launch System) and the Orion capsule’s life-support and navigational systems. The tests will help prepare NASA for future landings and ensure human safety in deep-space conditions.
The mission will set several human spaceflight records by sending the first person of color (Victor Glover), the first woman (Christina Koch), and the first Canadian (Jeremy Hansen) to travel beyond low-Earth orbit.
Artemis II is scheduled to liftoff from Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida at 5:24 p.m. CST. You can watch NASA’s live stream of the launch HERE or in the video at the top of the article.
