Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission in 53 Years

0:00It's March 30th. This is U.S. News Today, AI-powered stories shaping the nation. I'm Cory with the story. NASA kicked off the countdown Monday for the first crude moon mission in 53 years with Artemis II. That massive 32-story space launch system rocket is ready to roar Wednesday evening, carrying four astronauts in the Orion capsule. After a day orbiting Earth, though slingshot toward the moon for a quick loop around, then splash down in the Pacific after nearly 10 days. The team nailed the latest repairs and all systems are firing on point. Weather forecasters say conditions live prime for liftoff, no drama there. This crew brings fresh vibes, includes the first woman, a person of color, and a Canadian alongside the Americans. It's a big shift from the all-male Apollo days back in the late 60s and early 70s. Delays hit hard earlier this year with hydrogen fuel leaks and a clogged helium line, pushing things from February. But the rocket rolled back to the pad one and a half weeks ago, crew touched down Friday

1:02and now they're locked in. With the first six days of April as their launch window before a month in pause, humanity's moon comeback feels real close eyes on the skies for that.