NASA is preparing for one of its most ambitious space missions in decades. The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day journey around the moon before returning to Earth.

The launch is expected to take place from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. If everything goes as planned, the rocket could lift off in the evening during a scheduled launch window.

The crew includes three American astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

The mission will make history in several ways. It will send the first woman, the first person of color, and the first non-American astronaut on a lunar journey.

Also Read: Starcloud hits $1.1 billion valuation as AI goes orbital

However, the astronauts will not land on the moon during this mission. Instead, they will travel around the moon and return to Earth, similar to the historic Apollo 8 mission in 1968.

Artemis II will also be the first crewed flight of NASA’s new Space Launch System rocket, commonly known as SLS.

NASA officials say preparations for the mission are going smoothly. Launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said the team is in “excellent shape” as the countdown begins.

Weather conditions also appear favorable, although there remains a small chance of delays if conditions change during the launch window.

If the launch is postponed, NASA will have additional opportunities to try again over the following days.

The mission has faced several delays in recent months. Earlier plans to launch in February and March were postponed due to technical concerns, including a hydrogen leak that required engineers to inspect the rocket.