The countdown clock for a Wednesday launch attempt of NASA’s Artemis II mission began ticking at 4:44 p.m. Monday at Kennedy Space Center. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket using a fleet-leading booster for

After weeks of fuel leaks and other issues, NASA faced a trouble-free countdown Tuesday on the eve of astronauts’ first trip to the moon in more than half a century. NASA is shooting for the moon. A guide to the Artemis II mission NASA begins the countdown for humanity’s first launch to the moon in 53 years Apollo’s impatient old-timers are rooting for NASA’s return to the moon with Artemis II launch Meet the Artemis crew in NASA’s 1st astronaut moon mission in more than a half-century He suddenly couldn’t speak in space.

1. Artemis II involves a lunar fly-around by four astronauts. 2. Artemis III focuses on launching a lunar lander into orbit around Earth in 2027 for docking practice by astronauts flying in an Orion capsule. 3. Artemis IV aims to land astronauts on the moon in 2028.

NASA is counting down to the Artemis II rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center, with liftoff scheduled for around 6:24 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

Artemis II is preparing for launch from the Kennedy Space Center, where the rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft for a second time, on its journey around the moon – an update to the original plan, which put astronauts on the surface.

Check back for live FLORIDA TODAY Space Team launch updates on this page, starting about 90 minutes before today’s SpaceX Falcon 9 launch window opens.