NASA Targets March 6 Launch for Historic Artemis II Moon Mission

By Web Desk :

NASA is targeting March 6 for the launch of its historic Artemis II mission, which will send four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

The space agency confirmed the target date after successfully completing a critical launch rehearsal this week, paving the way for the long-awaited crewed test flight.

In a update on Friday, NASA officials said the agency had wrapped up a nearly 50-hour “Wet Dress Rehearsal” on Thursday night. The complex test simulated the full launch countdown of the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, including loading around 730,000 gallons of propellant into the vehicle.

Crucially, engineers reported no repeats of the hydrogen leaks that had disrupted a similar rehearsal last month, marking a significant step forward in verifying the rocket’s systems.

“I felt like last night was a big step in us earning our right to fly. So, felt really good, very proud of the team,” NASA launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson told reporters during a news conference.

The Artemis II mission will see three NASA astronauts and one Canadian Space Agency astronaut travel aboard the Orion spacecraft on a journey around the Moon and back to Earth. It represents the first crewed flight beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, and is a crucial precursor to future missions aiming to land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface.

Despite the successful rehearsal, officials cautioned that the March 6 target is not yet set in stone. A series of remaining critical steps must be completed before the rocket is cleared for liftoff.

These include final testing of the rocket’s flight termination system—a key safety mechanism designed to destroy the rocket if it veers off course—and a comprehensive Flight Readiness Review. During this day-long review, senior NASA managers and engineers will rigorously assess all rocket hardware, mission systems, and operational procedures before giving the final go-ahead.

If the March 6 launch date holds, the Artemis II crew will embark on a 10-day mission that will take them approximately 6,400 miles beyond the far side of the Moon, testing the spacecraft’s systems with humans on board for the first time and setting the stage for a lunar landing as early as 2025.

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