The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has completed final preparations for the launch of its ‘Artemis II’ mission — which is scheduled to lift off as early as April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center. 

According to NASA, the mission will mark the first crewed flight under its Artemis programme, sending four astronauts on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon.

Artemis II will also be the first time humans travel beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo era.

The crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

The mission will be launched aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and will test the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems with humans onboard for the first time.

NASA said the weather outlook for launch day remains favourable, with an 80 per cent chance of suitable conditions, although cloud cover and high winds could pose challenges.

Following launch, the spacecraft will travel to high Earth orbit before heading towards the Moon along a ‘free-return trajectory’, taking it around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth without requiring propulsion for the return journey.

The crew is also expected to surpass the record for the farthest distance travelled by humans from Earth, previously set during the Apollo 13 mission.

The mission will test critical systems, including emergency procedures, radiation protection and advanced communication technologies such as laser-based data transmission.

NASA said Artemis II is a key step towards future deep-space exploration, including planned crewed missions to the Moon and eventually Mars.

The space agency will provide continuous coverage of the launch and mission through its official platforms, including live streams and regular status briefings.

The Artemis programme is part of NASA’s broader effort to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon and build capabilities for future missions to Mars.