Moon rocket and weather are on NASA's side for the first astronaut launch in decades
After weeks of fuel leaks and other issues, NASA faced a trouble-free countdown Tuesday on the eve of astronauts' first trip to the moon in more than half a century.
Summary
NASA has confirmed a successful countdown ahead of the Artemis mission, which aims to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in over half a century.
This progress comes after a series of technical issues, including fuel leaks, that had previously delayed the launch schedule.
The operational readiness of the rocket and favorable weather conditions are critical factors that will influence the mission's success as it approaches launch.
Updates
Update at 14:34 UTC on 2026-04-01
Phys.org reported NASA begun fueling its moon rocket Wednesday for humanity's first lunar trip in more than half a century, aiming for an evening liftoff with four astronauts.
Sources: Phys.org
Update at 09:51 UTC on 2026-04-02
France 24 reported Four astronauts embarked on a high-stakes flight around the moon Wednesday, marking humanity's first lunar voyage in over half a century.
Sources: France 24