NASA: Manned Flight Around the Moon Set for March

NASA has announced a target launch date of March 6 for the manned Artemis II mission around the Moon. This marks the first crewed flight around the Moon in over 50 years.

The Artemis II mission will be a ten-day journey carrying four astronauts around the far side of the Moon before returning to Earth. The flight is considered a crucial step in preparing for a future manned landing as part of the Artemis program.

The launch date was set following a successful 'launch simulation' at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Lori Glaze from NASA reported that technical issues have been resolved and the SLS rocket was successfully fueled.

The Artemis II crew consists of American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.