The countdown has already begun. Four astronauts are preparing to star in one of the most ambitious missions of the 21st century: to orbit the Moon once again, more than half a century later.
From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, EFE reports that the crew of Artemis II arrived on Wednesday at the rocket launch pad that will take them into deep space, on a 10-day journey that marks the beginning of a new era in human exploration.
The launch is scheduled for 6:24 PM local time (10:24 PM GMT), and with it, NASA aims to resume the journey that was put on hold in 1972, when the Apollo 17 mission last departed from the natural satellite.
Before boarding the Orion spacecraft, the astronauts participated in the traditional walk that the space agency has maintained since 1968, a ritual rich in symbolism that precedes each historic mission. They then entered the so-called "White Room," where technicians checked every system prior to the launch.
Dressed in their specially designed orange suits —enhanced to regulate temperature and offer greater protection— the four crew members bid farewell to the media, a moment that revealed both the magnitude of the challenge and its more human side.
"I love you, guys," expressed pilot Victor Glover in a few brief but heartfelt words before the journey.
The team consists of Commander Reid Wiseman, Specialist Christina Koch, Glover himself, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen. Hours before the launch, they even upheld another NASA tradition: playing cards to "burn off bad luck."
Inside the spacecraft, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed on the social network X that the crew was taking their seats “on the most powerful crewed rocket ever built,” after years of training for this moment.
Artemis II represents not only a technological leap but also a symbolic milestone. For the first time, a lunar mission will include a woman, an African American astronaut, and a Canadian, reflecting a new and more diverse stage in space exploration.
During the journey, the spacecraft will orbit the Moon, allowing astronauts to observe even its far side, in a passage that could exceed 400,000 kilometers from Earth, making it one of the most distant crewed missions in history.
But beyond the records, Artemis II is seen as the first step towards even greater goals: establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually opening the door to future missions to Mars.
With the world focused on the launch, the mission not only revives the spirit of the space race but also brings to the forefront a question that transcends generations: how far can humanity go?
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