The countdown to launch of the Artemis II mission, NASA's first piloted moonshot in half a century, proceeded smoothly Tuesday as engineers and technicians prepared the agency's giant Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule for fueling and blastoff Wednesday evening.
After clearing nonessential personnel from the "blast danger area" and verifying rocket and ground system readiness, engineers planned to begin pumping nearly 760,000 gallons of super-cold liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel into the 322-foot-tall SLS rocket's two stages starting around 7:34 a.m. ET Wednesday.
The fueling process will take about five and a half hours to complete, and engineers are optimistic a repaired quick-disconnect fitting that leaked during a dress rehearsal countdown in February will prove leak-free this time around.
Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen spent the day relaxing, reviewing their flight plans and getting updates on the countdown, among other day-before-launch tasks.
They will be awakened Wednesday about two hours after the start of fueling. After breakfast and a weather briefing, they'll don their bright orange pressure suits and head for pad 39B to strap in for launch at 6:24 p.m., the opening of a two-hour window.
Forecasters continue to predict an 80% chance of favorable weather throughout the window, but warn that possible afternoon cloud buildups and isolated showers could prompt brief delays to allow time for clouds or rain to move out of the launch area.
Jeff Spaulding, NASA's senior countdown test director and a space shuttle veteran, said engineers and technicians working in the launch control center "are excited and ready to go on this, this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s."
He said engineers were not working any significant technical problems going into the final day of the countdown.
Iran hits more Gulf targets as U.S., Israel continue strikes
Trump sends mixed messages on Iran
NASA head says Artemis II will pave the way for "astronauts planting the Stars and Stripes on Mars"
LATEST POSTS
- 1
The Century Coupe Could Be Toyota’s Most Ambitious Car Since the LFA - 2Watch Rocket Lab launch Japanese technology-demonstrating satellite to orbit tonight
- 3South America's Memorable Destinations: A Movement Guide
- 4Humpback whale stranded on Germany's Baltic coast frees itself
- 55 Destinations Where Airfare Is Dropping The Most For Spring 2026, Per Dollar Flight Club Analysis
- PFAS in pregnant women’s drinking water puts their babies at higher risk, study finds
- The Solution to Defeating Tarrying: Systems for Expanded Efficiency
- Nikki Glaser has been testing out Golden Globes jokes. There's one nobody wants to hear
- Artemis II crew cleared to depart Earth orbit, head for moon
- From Exemplary to Current: Famous Rings Available
- I'm 18 and founded an AI startup. I have to wake up at 3 a.m. to work on it before school, but it's worth every sleepless night.
- From Novice to Master: Dominating a Side interest
- Which sandwich do you find totally delectable? !
- 6 Popular Men's Aromas On the planet
