NASA’s last major test for its moon-bound Artemis II rocket is set for Monday night, and, if successful, will open the door for America’s first astronaut mission to the moon since 1972.
The so-called “wet dress rehearsal” began early Monday with fueling of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket following days of delays due to chilly temperatures in Florida, NASA said.
The rehearsal would see the space agency conduct all the pre-launch tests necessary for the rocket, including a full, simulated final countdown to begin as early as 9 p.m. at the Kennedy Space Center.
First, the SLS rocket will be filled with 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants, which are then drained to ensure the spacecraft can properly carry its fuel.
Engineers are also checking the batteries and energy systems aboard the Orion capsule, where four astronauts will be stationed for the 10-day trip around the moon.
The full wet dress rehearsal will be livestreamed on NASA’s Artemis blog, with the test window extending to 1 a.m. Tuesday if necessary.
Should everything go smoothly during the rehearsal, NASA will then announce an official date for the four-person crew launch, with the earliest possible date currently set for Sunday, Feb. 8.
The Artemis II trek will take the crew around the moon and back. The astronauts are expected to fly nearly 5,000 miles beyond the far side of the moon, the furthest any humans have ever gone into space.
NASA named astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen as the crew of the Artemis II.
The four astronauts are set to fully test the rocket, its life-support systems, and crew controls to make sure it’s all ready for NASA’s return to the moon by 2028.
The crew is currently under quarantine at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.