KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, United States, April 2  (V7N) –  Four astronauts strapped into their seats Wednesday as crews made final preparations for a historic lunar odyssey that will send humans around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.  

The mission, dubbed Artemis 2, is scheduled to lift off from Florida as early as 6:24 pm (2224 GMT). Weather conditions were reported to be favorable, with an 80 percent chance of suitable launch conditions.  

The crew, clad in bright orange suits with blue trim, includes Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen. Their 10-day mission will see them orbit Earth’s natural satellite without landing, echoing Apollo 8’s groundbreaking journey in 1968.  

The flight marks several historic milestones: the first person of color, the first woman, and the first non-American to participate in a lunar mission. If successful, the astronauts will set a record by venturing farther from Earth than any human before.  

It is also the inaugural crewed flight of NASA’s new Space Launch System (SLS), a massive orange-and-white rocket designed to enable repeated lunar missions and eventually establish a permanent base on the Moon.  

Senator and retired astronaut Mark Kelly told AFP the mission represents more than individual achievement: “They’re not doing it for Themselves. They’re doing it for the country.”  

Artemis 2 has faced repeated delays and cost overruns, with the rocket rolled back to its hangar for repairs earlier this year. NASA officials now say final preparations are proceeding smoothly. If Wednesday’s launch is delayed, backup opportunities remain through Monday.  

Local authorities expect around 400,000 spectators along Florida’s Space Coast to witness the event.  

The Artemis program has been pushed forward under pressure from President Donald Trump, who has set a goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by 2028, before the end of his second term. The program is also seen as part of a broader competition with China, which aims to land humans on the Moon by 2030.  

END/WD/RH