Article

NASA has officially begun launch operations for the Artemis II mission after successful fuel tests of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule. This mission will see astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen fly around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo era.

The Artemis II launch is targeted for March 6, although this date may change due to pending preparations, including testing the rocket's flight termination system. In contrast, Boeing's Starliner program has been designated a Type A mishap, indicating severe safety concerns that prevented its crew from reaching the ISS. NASA admitted to oversight errors and emphasized the need for a comprehensive redesign of Starliner before it can undertake future crewed missions.