CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The last time human beings traveled to the moon, the world looked entirely different. That was more than 50 years ago, at the close of the Apollo program. On Wednesday, April 1, NASA intends to change that.
The agency confirmed Sunday that it is tracking no technical problems ahead of the Artemis 2 launch. The window opens at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2324 GMT) and stays open for two hours. If the rocket stays on the pad that day, additional opportunities exist through April 6.
Our flight systems are ready, the ground systems are ready, our launch and operations teams are ready, and our flight operations team in Houston are also ready. The crew arrived yesterday, and I know that they're ready — they are more than ready. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
The Only Obstacle Left Is Weather
NASA completed a flight readiness review before the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket rolled out to the pad on March 20. Since then, the agency has flagged no outstanding issues or risk acceptances. The only variable still unresolved is what the sky will do.
A 20% chance of a weather violation on Wednesday has been noted, tied to potential cumulus clouds in the lower troposphere.
There are little things that we find as we go that we're working right there, but none of them are threatening the first right now. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
Four People, One Spacecraft, Ten Days
Aboard the Orion spacecraft will be NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Their mission lasts 10 days. They will not orbit the moon; instead, Orion will slingshot around the lunar far side on a figure-eight trajectory before heading back to Earth.
The Artemis program's first mission, Artemis 1, launched in November 2022 and flew an uncrewed Orion through lunar orbit for roughly a month. Artemis 2 is the same spacecraft's second test flight, this time with four people inside.
The Road to Landing Runs Through This Flight
If Artemis 2 succeeds, it sets the sequence for what follows. Artemis 3 is planned to launch Orion to Earth orbit where the spacecraft will test rendezvous and docking operations with the selected lunar landers. That demonstration, if it holds, leads to Artemis 4, the mission NASA describes as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo.
Everything that comes after depends on what happens Wednesday evening.
We are getting very, very close, and we are ready. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate