NASA holds final briefing before Artemis II Moon mission launch

NASA held a final briefing to assess whether the Artemis II mission can launch Wednesday; officials said weather is generally favourable but they are monitoring wind, rain and recent solar activity.

NASA is holding a final briefing ahead of the planned Artemis II launch and will report on whether the mission can proceed on Wednesday. Officials leading the briefing include Jeff Spaulding, test director with the Exploration Ground Systems program, and Mark Burger, launch weather officer with the 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral. They described weather conditions as generally favourable while noting they are watching wind, rain and recent solar activity after a recent solar flare. If approved, four astronauts will undertake a roughly 10-day journey that circles the Moon in a spacecraft about the size of a minibus, departing from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Key details: - Jeff Spaulding and Mark Burger are answering questions during the final briefing. - Officials said weather conditions are generally favourable but they are monitoring wind, rain and recent solar activity after a solar flare. - The mission would be the first crewed lunar voyage in more than 50 years. - Planned flight is roughly a 10-day lunar flyby in a spacecraft described as about the size of a minibus. - Crew named as Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, with launch from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Summary: The briefing provides a status update on launch readiness and weather for the Artemis II mission; officials said conditions are generally favourable but will continue monitoring wind, rain and solar activity. A decision on whether to proceed with a Wednesday launch is expected following the briefing.