What is NASA's Artemis II moon mission, and when will it launch?

"The countdown is under way at Kennedy Space Center for the liftoff of Artemis II, which will send four astronauts around the moon and back in the first crewed lunar mission since 1972."

"The forecast indicates an 80 percent chance of favourable conditions with the primary concerns being cloud coverage and the potential for high winds, NASA noted."

"Artemis II has faced two major delays that pushed it from its original early 2026 launch window, including a liquid hydrogen leak and a helium flow issue."

"The Artemis programme is NASA's multidecade mission to return humans to the moon for the first time since 1972, establish a long-term base there and eventually enable future human missions to Mars."

Artemis II is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center, sending four astronauts on a mission around the moon. The launch window opens at 6:24pm on Wednesday, with an 80 percent chance of favorable weather. The mission has faced delays due to technical issues, including a liquid hydrogen leak and a helium flow problem. NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to the moon and establish a long-term base, eventually facilitating human missions to Mars. Artemis I, the uncrewed test flight, successfully launched in November 2022.

Read at www.aljazeera.com