The countdown to Artemis 2 begins as NASA releases major update ahead of moon mission

The US space agency has announced that the countdown to blast-off is underway as humans prepare to return to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

NASA has announced that the countdown for the launch of the Artemis 2 Moon mission has begun.

Shortly after 10pm (GMT), Artemis 2’s launch director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, said, “I’m thrilled to say that our countdown clock started a little while ago and started counting down.”

The US space agency is targeting a launch window that will begin on April 1 and run through April 6. Speaking at a press conference, Ms. Blackwell-Thompson said, “Our team has worked very hard to get to this moment, and I’m very proud of the work they’ve done.”

NASA will target the April 1 date, which was announced on Monday, as the countdown to liftoff begins, with associate administrator Amit Kshatriya saying, “The team has concluded that everything is looking good, and at this point, there are no issues preventing us from proceeding.”

The mission has been beset with setbacks, but it now looks like Artemis 2 is on target to launch in just two days’ time, on Wednesday, April 1.

Mr Kshatriya thanked NASA employees, saying, ‘You are all instrumental.’ The lifeblood of the agency comes from your skills, the decisions you have made, and your knowledge.

“This mission is going to take off on Wednesday because you’re here.”

This launch will be the first time since 1972 that astronauts will fly to the Moon. NASA’s Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen, will soon set out on their 10-day mission to orbit the Moon for the first time in half a century.

Artemis 2 flight crew ready to make history (Image: Getty)

The mission was originally planned for February, but after problems during testing, the launch was pushed to a six-day launch window in April.

“The launch day and time should enable SLS to deliver Orion to that orbit,” NASA officials wrote in an Artemis 2 explainer last month. “Orion also needs to be in proper alignment with Earth and the Moon at the time of the trans-lunar injection burn,” he said.

The space agency said timing is critical for the mission to work properly. The trajectory on any given day must ensure that Orion is not in darkness for more than 90 minutes at a time, allowing the solar array wings to capture sunlight and convert it to electricity while maintaining an optimal temperature range. Mission planners eliminate potential launch dates that would send Orion into extended eclipses during flight.

Viable launch windows would also have to take into account Orion’s return to Earth, which would have to allow a specific entry profile.

You can watch the launch, which is currently scheduled for April 1, right here. Mirror is covering the countdown to the launch in our live blog.