NASA begins 50-year countdown for first astronaut moonshot
Nasa initiated a two-day practice countdown on Saturday in preparation for the fuelling of its new moon rocket, a vital test that will ascertain the timing of four astronauts’ launch for a lunar flyby. Commander Reid Wiseman and his crew, already in quarantine to avoid germs, will be the first individuals to launch to the moon since 1972. They will observe the dress rehearsal from their Houston headquarters before traveling to Kennedy Space Center once the rocket receives clearance for flight.
The 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System rocket was transported to the pad two weeks ago. If Monday’s fueling test is successful, Nasa may attempt to launch within a week. Teams will fill the rocket’s tank with over 700,000 gallons of super-cold fuel, halting just half a minute before the engines ignite. A harsh cold snap postponed the fueling demonstration and the launch by two days. Feb. 8 is now the earliest that the rocket could potentially launch.
As they embark on their journey aboard the Orion capsule atop the rocket, the U.S. and Canadian astronauts will traverse the lunar expanse before making a direct return, culminating in a splashdown in the Pacific. The mission is set to span almost 10 days. Nasa dispatched 24 astronauts to the moon throughout the Apollo program, spanning from 1968 to 1972. Twelve of them traversed the surface.
