NASA is preparing to launch a rocket with astronauts to the Moon

More than half a century has passed since NASA last prepared a crew for a flight around the Moon. According to information provided by NBC News, the launch could take place in just three weeks.

The Space Launch System rocket, along with the Orion capsule, has been successfully moved to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This step is an important part of the system checks that will ensure the safe flight of four astronauts to lunar orbit.

NASA plans to conduct a series of tests and dry runs in preparation for the Artemis II mission, which will be the first flight to the Moon in a long time. If everything goes according to plan, the agency will be able to announce the exact launch date. The flight is tentatively scheduled for the period from February 6 to 11, with dates in March and April also being considered.

The Artemis II mission includes four astronauts: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch from NASA, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They will spend 10 days in space, making a flyby of Earth before entering lunar orbit. This mission will be an important test for the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft. A successful completion of Artemis II will lay the groundwork for the next mission—Artemis III, planned for 2027, which aims to land astronauts near the Moon's south pole.

Returning to the Moon has become one of the main goals of President Donald Trump's administration, especially in the context of growing space competition with China, which has also announced plans to land its astronauts on the Moon by 2030.