Artemis II crewed lunar mission set for Wednesday launch

NASA's Artemis II mission is set to launch Wednesday from the U.S. state of Florida, marking the first crewed mission to the vicinity of the Moon in more than 50 years, reported Xinhua.

The liftoff is scheduled no earlier than 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Launch teams on Tuesday continued a series of carefully coordinated operations to prepare the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the crew's journey around the Moon.

Weather forecasts show an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions at launch time, with potential concerns including cumulus clouds, ground winds and solar activity, according to NASA. The agency, together with U.S. Space Force weather officers, will continue monitoring conditions ahead of liftoff.

As launch approaches, preparations are increasingly focused on crew-related systems, according to NASA. Engineers conducted leak checks on the astronauts' pressure suits inside Orion, ensuring proper airtight sealing and pressure control in the event of cabin depressurization.

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.