CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA began its two-day countdown Monday ahead of what is slated to be its first crewed moonshot in more than half a century, a long-anticipated loop around Earth&#39;s satellite that is to pave the way for future exploration.&nbsp;The first window to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida opens Wednesday, April 1 at 6:24 pm (2224 GMT), and NASA officials said the countdown began at 4:44 pm.&nbsp;&quot;The vehicle is ready, the system is ready. The crew is ready,&quot; Amit Kshatriya, the US space agency&#39;s associate administrator, said in a briefing.&nbsp;&quot;Behind this flight stands a campaign,&quot; he continued, noting recently announced plans including constructing a lunar base.&nbsp;If Wednesday&#39;s launch is cancelled or delayed for any reason, there are more liftoff opportunities through April 6.&nbsp;As of Monday evening, NASA officials voiced confidence that engineering operations and final preparations were proceeding smoothly.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;ll fly when this hardware is ready,&quot; launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson told journalists.&nbsp;&quot;But certainly all indications are right now we are in excellent, excellent shape.&quot;&nbsp;The four astronauts set to carry out the Moon voyage -- Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Canadian colleague Jeremy Hansen -- are in quarantine ahead of their journey.&nbsp;NASA officials said Monday evening that they would have the opportunity to have dinner with their families at a Florida beach house.&nbsp;Cloudy with a chance of historyThe odyssey will mark a series of firsts: the first time a woman, a person of color and a non-American will venture on a Moon mission.&nbsp;It is also the inaugural crewed flight of NASA&#39;s new lunar rocket, dubbed SLS.&nbsp;The mammoth orange-and-white rocket is designed to allow the United States to repeatedly return to the Moon in years to come, with the goal of establishing a permanent base that will offer a stepping stone for further exploration.&nbsp;But getting it off the ground has not been simple. The Artemis 2 mission was originally due to take off as early as February but repeated setbacks stalled that goal and even necessitated rolling the rocket back to its hangar for analysis and repairs.&nbsp;And then there is the weather: as of Monday, NASA reported that the forecast shows &quot;an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Cloud coverage and potential for high winds on the ground&quot; were their primary concerns, the agency said.&nbsp;Teams are also monitoring solar weather.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m just gonna make an appeal to the space gods, okay?&quot; Kshatriya said to laughter on Monday.&nbsp;

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NASA begins a two-day countdown for its April 1 Moon launch, with four astronauts, SLS rocket, final checks, and an 80% favorable weather forecast.

NASA begins countdown to April 1 Moon launch 

WASHINGTON: NASA&#39;s chief on Tuesday said the US space agency will invest $20 billion to develop a base on the Moon, while suspending its plans to create the lunar orbital space station known as Gateway. &quot;The agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations,&quot; Jared Isaacman said in a statement given during a day-long event at NASA headquarters in Washington. &quot;Despite challenges with some existing hardware, the agency will repurpose applicable equipment and leverage international partner commitments to support these objectives,&quot; he said. It&#39;s the latest shake-up at NASA in the wake of changes to the Artemis program, which aims to send Americans back to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there, paving the way for eventual missions to Mars. The Gateway orbital lunar station was intended to serve both as a transfer point for astronauts headed to the Moon and as a research platform. The suspension of the initiative isn&#39;t entirely surprising: some had criticized it as financially wasteful or a distraction from other lunar ambitions. Putting it on hold will allow for the redirection of efforts and resources toward the construction of the base near the strategic south lunar pole, Isaacman explained, which was already a goal. Isaacman said NASA now plans to spend $20 billion over the next seven years to construct the base over dozens of missions, &quot;working together with commercial and international partners towards a deliberate and achievable plan.&quot; &quot;There will be an evolutionary path to building humanity&#39;s first permanent surface outpost beyond Earth, and we will take the world along with us.&quot; The European Space Agency, among other international organizations, was a partner on the planned Gateway project. Queried by AFP, the ESA said that it is &quot;currently holding close consultations with its member states, international partners and European industry to assess the implications of this announcement.&quot; Artemis 2 on deckIsaacman, who took the helm of NASA late last year, abruptly announced less than a month ago that it was reshuffling its Artemis program that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, as it aims to ensure Americans can return to the Moon&#39;s surface by 2028. That goal remains unchanged, but the US space agency is shifting its flight lineup to include a test mission before an eventual lunar landing to improve launch &quot;muscle memory,&quot; Isaacman said. That strategic revision came amid repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which was originally due to take off as early as February, but is now targeting early April. It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century. During his first term, President Donald Trump announced he wanted Americans to once again set foot on the lunar surface. China is forging ahead with plans for its first crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 at the latest. The US effort depends in part on the progress of NASA&#39;s private partners. SpaceX and Blue Origin, the space companies of dueling billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, are contracted to develop lunar landers for the Artemis program.

This representational picture shows the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)(AFP/File).

"The agency intends to pause Gateway in its current form and shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations," Jared Isaacman said in a statement given during a day-long event at NASA headquarters in Washington.

NASA to build $20B moon base, pause orbital lunar station plans

CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA on Friday said it would revise its Artemis lunar program that has suffered multiple delays in recent years, in a bid to ensure Americans can return to the Moon&#39;s surface by 2028.&nbsp;The US space agency will add missions between this spring&#39;s Artemis 2 and the ultimate lunar landing, a strategic revision that NASA administrator Jared Isaacman told a briefing would allow for improved launch &quot;muscle memory.&quot;&nbsp;That means Artemis 3, which was meant to send astronauts to the Moon&#39;s surface, will now have the alternate goal of &quot;rendezvous in low-Earth orbit&quot; of at least one lunar lander.&nbsp;The next phase, Artemis 4, will aim for a lunar landing in early 2028. Isaacman said he hoped that mission could be followed relatively quickly by a second Moon landing within the year.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re not necessarily committing to launching two missions in 2028,&quot; he said, &quot;but we want to have the opportunity to be able to do that.&quot;&nbsp;The NASA chief said speeding up the cadence of Artemis launches would allow for building more institutional knowledge in the model of the Apollo program, which originally put Americans on the Moon.&nbsp;&quot;Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, through the shuttle program -- I don&#39;t think it would surprise many of the folks in the room that our average launch cadence was closer to three months throughout all those programs, not three years,&quot; he said. &quot;We need to start getting back to basics and moving in this direction.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Launching every three years, your skills atrophy, you lose muscle memory.&quot;&nbsp;Space raceThe revised architecture announcement comes in the wake of repeated delays to the Artemis 2 mission, which now will not launch before April.&nbsp;It is meant to see the first flyby of the Moon in more than half a century.&nbsp;Earlier this week, the US space agency rolled back its towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft off the launchpad to investigate its problems and make necessary repairs.&nbsp;President Donald Trump announced he wanted Americans to once again set foot on the lunar surface in his first term.&nbsp;The US space agency now hopes to put humans back on the Moon as China forges ahead with its own effort, which is targeting 2030 at the latest for a first crewed mission.&nbsp;China&#39;s uncrewed Chang&#39;e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon&#39;s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead this year.&nbsp;Queried on the so-called &quot;space race,&quot; Isaacman said Friday that &quot;I think competition is good.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re here talking to you about what is a common-sense approach to achieve the objective, whether we had a great rival in the running or not.&quot;

NASA will revise its Artemis program after delays, adding missions before a planned 2028 lunar landing. Artemis 3 will test lunar lander rendezvous in low-Earth orbit, while Artemis 4 targets Moon landing as China advances its space ambitions.

NASA announces overhaul of Artemis lunar program amid technical delays

WASHINGTON: NASA chief Jared Isaacman on Saturday ruled out a March launch for Artemis 2, the first crewed flyby mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, citing technical issues.&nbsp;Workers detected a problem with helium flow to the massive SLS rocket that will &quot;take the March launch window out of consideration,&quot; Issacman said in a post on X.&nbsp;&quot;I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor,&quot; Isaacman said.&nbsp;&quot;During the 1960s, when NASA achieved what most thought was impossible, and what has never been repeated since, there were many setbacks.&quot;&nbsp;The towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will be rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to investigate the technical issues and make any necessary repairs, Isaacman said.&nbsp;A complete briefing will follow in the coming days, he added.&nbsp;The highly anticipated Artemis 2 mission, lasting about 10 days, will see three Americans and one Canadian fly around Earth&#39;s satellite.&nbsp;It would be a huge step towards Americans once again setting foot on the lunar surface, a goal announced by President Donald Trump in his first term.&nbsp;On Friday, NASA had set March 6 as the earliest possible launch date.&nbsp;The US space agency hopes to put humans back on the Moon as China forges ahead with a rival effort that is targeting 2030 at the latest for its first crewed mission.&nbsp;China&#39;s uncrewed Chang&#39;e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon&#39;s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead this year.&nbsp;NASA surprised many late last year when it said Artemis 2 could happen as soon as February -- an acceleration explained by the Trump administration&#39;s wish to beat China to the punch.&nbsp;But the program has been plagued by delays.&nbsp;The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission took place in November 2022 after multiple postponements and two failed launch attempts.&nbsp;Then technical problems in early February -- which included a liquid hydrogen leak -- cut short a so-called wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 launch. That was finally completed earlier this week.&nbsp;The wet dress rehearsal was conducted under real conditions -- with full rocket tanks and technical checks -- at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with engineers practicing the maneuvers needed to carry out an actual launch.&nbsp;NASA is hoping that the Moon could be used to help prepare future missions to Mars.

NASA chief Jared Isaacman ruled out a March launch for Artemis 2, the first crewed flyby mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, citing technical issues.

NASA chief rules out March launch of Moon mission over technical issues

WASHINGTON: Four astronauts docked at the International Space Station&nbsp;(ISS) on Sunday for a months-long research mission, replacing a crew forced to return to Earth early over a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iss-crew-splashes-down-on-earth-after-medical-evacuation-nasa-video" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">medical issue</a>. The US space agency&#39;s <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/international-crew-en-route-to-space-station" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Crew-12</a> arrived at the orbiting laboratory after a journey of about 34 hours that started with blastoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. &quot;We have bridged the legacy of humankind&#39;s continuous presence in space spanning more than 25 years at this very site,&quot; American astronaut Jessica Meir said after docking at the ISS. &quot;As we look back at Earth from these windows, we are reminded that cooperation is not just possible, it is essential. Up here, there are no borders and hope is universal.&quot; Other members of Crew-12 are American Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. The foursome are replacing Crew-11, which returned to Earth in January a month earlier than planned in the first medical evacuation in the space station&#39;s history. The ISS, which orbits 400 kilometers above Earth, has since been staffed by a skeleton crew of three. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nasa-to-send-humans-to-moon-after-five-decades" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">NASA</a>&nbsp;declined to disclose any details about the health issue that cut the previous mission short. Crew-12 will be one of the last crews to live aboard the football field-sized space station. Continuously inhabited for the last quarter-century, the aging ISS is scheduled to be pushed into Earth&#39;s orbit before crashing into an isolated spot in the Pacific Ocean in 2030. Microgravity and the human body During their eight months on the outpost, the astronauts will conduct many experiments, including research into the effects of microgravity on their bodies. Meir, who previously worked as a marine biologist studying animals in extreme environments, will serve as the crew&#39;s commander. Adenot has become the second French woman to fly into space, following in the footsteps of Claudie Haignere, who spent time on the Mir space station. Among other research, she will test a system that uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality to allow astronauts to carry out their own medical ultrasounds. &quot;I am proud to bring France and Europe along on this incredible adventure that transcends borders,&quot; Adenot said. &quot;Count on me to share every step with you and bring a sparkle to the eyes of the French people.&quot; The <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nasa-moves-moon-rocket-to-launch-pad-for-artemis-2-mission" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">ISS</a>, once a symbol of warming post-Cold War relations, has been a rare area of continued cooperation between the West and Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. However, the space station has not entirely avoided the tensions back on Earth. In November, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev &ndash; who had long been planned to be a member of Crew-12 &ndash; was suddenly taken off the mission. Reports from independent media in Russia suggested he had been photographing and sending classified information with his phone while training at a SpaceX facility. Russian space agency Roscosmos merely said he had been transferred to a different job. His replacement, Fedyaev, has already spent some time on the ISS as part of Crew-6 in 2023.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top launches from Space Launch Complex 40 for the Crew-12 mission at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on February 13, 2026. (AFP)

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Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station for an eight-month mission, replacing a crew that returned early for medical reasons, as the aging outpost nears its planned retirement in 2030.

Crew-12 docks at ISS for months-long research mission

CAPE CANAVERAL: Four astronauts were on their way to the International Space Station Friday after they successfully embarked on their research mission to the orbiting laboratory.&nbsp;The US space agency&#39;s international Crew-12 blasted off at approximately 5:15 am local time (1015 GMT) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral launch site in Florida, according to a NASA video feed.&nbsp;The journey takes approximately 34 hours the astronauts are expected to arrive at the ISS and dock by about 3:15 pm eastern time on Saturday.&nbsp;They will replace a crew that returned from the station early due to a medical issue with one of its members.&nbsp;The pre-dawn launch was delayed by two days over adverse weather forecasts across the US East Coast, including high winds that could have complicated any potential emergency maneuvers.&nbsp;But superstitions aside, Friday the 13th proved to be their lucky day.&nbsp;&quot;I understand it&#39;s the first time NASA has ever launched on Friday the 13th,&quot; said Steve Stich, a NASA official who coordinates ISS launches, with a laugh.&nbsp;&quot;Pretty amazing times.&quot;&nbsp;Crew-12 is composed of Americans Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, along with French astronaut Sophie Adenot and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.&nbsp;&quot;We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us,&quot; Meir said as the astronauts ventured into space. &quot;When we gaze on our planet from above, it is immediately clear that everything is interconnected.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We are one humankind.&quot;&nbsp;The travelers are replacing Crew-11, which returned to Earth in January a month earlier than planned in the first medical evacuation in the space station&#39;s history.&nbsp;The ISS, a scientific laboratory orbiting 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth, has since been staffed by a skeleton crew of three.&nbsp;NASA declined to disclose any details about the health issue that cut the previous mission short.&nbsp;Once the astronauts arrive, they will be one of the last crews to live aboard the football field-sized space station.&nbsp;Continuously inhabited for the last quarter-century, the aging ISS is scheduled to be pushed into Earth&#39;s orbit before crashing into an isolated spot in the Pacific Ocean in 2030.&nbsp;Microgravity and the human bodyThe ISS, once a symbol of warming post-Cold War relations, has been a rare area of continued cooperation between the West and Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.&nbsp;However, the space station has not entirely avoided the tensions back on Earth.&nbsp;In November, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, who had long been planned to be a member of Crew-1,2 was suddenly taken off the mission.&nbsp;Reports from independent media in Russia suggested he had been photographing and sending classified information with his phone while training at a SpaceX facility. Russian space agency Roscosmos merely said he had been transferred to a different job.&nbsp;His replacement, Fedyaev, has already spent some time on the ISS as part of Crew-6 in 2023.&nbsp;During a post-launch briefing, Daniel Neuenschwander, an official at the European Space Agency, emphasized the collaborative commitment to &quot;the peaceful exploration of space.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We are here this morning after the launch of two Americans, a Russian, and a European as one crew. This is again a testimony of what we can achieve together. The ISS stands as a powerful symbol of humanity,&quot; he said.&nbsp;During their eight months on the outpost, the four astronauts will conduct many experiments, including research into the effects of microgravity on their bodies.&nbsp;Meir, who previously worked as a marine biologist studying animals in extreme environments, will serve as the crew&#39;s commander.&nbsp;Adenot has become the second French woman to fly to space, following in the footsteps of Claudie Haignere, who spent time on the Mir space station.&nbsp;When Adenot saw Haignere&#39;s mission blast off, she was 14 years old a moment she has called &quot;a revelation.&quot;&nbsp;Among other research, the ESA astronaut will test a system that uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality to allow astronauts to carry out their own medical ultrasounds.

Four astronauts from NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos launched aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 to the ISS, replacing Crew-11, conducting microgravity research, AI-assisted medical tests, and experiments during their eight-month mission, highlighting international cooperation in space.

International crew en route to space station

WASHINGTON: NASA on Friday pushed back the earliest date that astronauts could fly to the Moon, due to forecasts of freezing temperatures at the Florida launch site. The earliest window for the moonshot will now be February 8, two days later than originally scheduled. NASA was preparing to conduct a key fueling test over the weekend of the 98-meter rocket that is on the Cape Canaveral launch pad in Florida. But large parts of the United States are grappling with severe winter weather, with Arctic air surging across the country following a deadly winter storm. Florida is not immune: the normally sunny state could experience its lowest temperatures in decades that are forecast to hover around freezing. &quot;The expected weather this weekend would violate launch conditions,&quot; NASA said in a statement. Weather permitting, NASA crews now are aiming to conduct their final tests Monday, after which a launch date will be determined. The change narrows the possibility that NASA can launch their Artemis 2 team of four astronauts on their Moon flyby in February &mdash; just three days of potential windows remain in that month.&nbsp;The team remains in quarantine in Houston, NASA said. Heaters are atop the Orion capsule to ensure it stays warm, the US space agency said, and purging systems are in place and configured for the colder weather to maintain proper conditions. NASA officials are also preparing to launch a crew to the International Space Station, a mission that is being closely coordinated as it is currently planned to happen within days of a potential&nbsp;Artemis 2 launch. The next NASA crew rotation to the ISS could happen as soon as February 11, but depending on the Artemis plans, it could get delayed. &quot;Our teams have worked very carefully to see how we can keep moving towards launch for both missions, while at the same time making sure we avoid any major conflicts,&quot; said Ken Bowersox, an administrator at NASA&#39;s Space Operations Mission Directorate, during a briefing Friday. There&#39;s a possibility that Crew-12 could get some overlapping space time with the Moon team, a prospect that ISS astronauts said Friday they&#39;d enjoy. &quot;If we do launch before Artemis, we&#39;ll be on board the International Space Station, and part of their flight plan actually involves a call to the ISS,&quot; said Jessica Meir, the crew&#39;s commander who said they&#39;d be &quot;excited&quot; to have some intra-space conversation with their colleagues. &quot;We are all thrilled about the launch of Artemis. We are very excited to see how this will all play out.&quot; The Crew-12 team to ISS also includes Sophie Adenot, who will be the second Frenchwoman to fly to space. In another noteworthy tidbit, the new February 8 window for a potential launch to the Moon falls on the same day as the highly watched Super Bowl, the National Football League championship. That launch window would open at 11:20 pm in Florida (0420 GMT on February 9) -- soon after the game would likely wrap.

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, integrated for the Artemis II mission, are seen at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 30, 2026 ahead of the first crewed mission to the Moon in m

NASA delayed the earliest Artemis 2 Moon mission launch to February 8 due to freezing Florida weather, narrowing February launch windows and complicating coordination with upcoming International Space Station crew rotations and schedule uncertainty.

NASA delays Moon mission over frigid weather

UNITED STATES: NASA on Saturday rolled out its towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft as it began preparations for its first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.&nbsp;The maneuver, which takes up to 12 hours, will allow the US space agency to begin a string of tests for the Artemis 2 mission, which could blast off as early as February 6.&nbsp;The immense orange and white Space Launch System rocket and the Orion vessel were slowly wheeled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and painstakingly moved four miles (6.5 kilometers) to Launch Pad 39B.&nbsp;If the tests are all satisfactory, three Americans and one Canadian will head to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nasa-to-send-humans-to-moon-after-five-decades" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moon</a>&nbsp;sometime between February 6 and the end of April -- they will not land, but instead fly around Earth&#39;s satellite.&nbsp;The mission -- which would last about 10 days -- would be a huge step towards Americans once again setting foot on the lunar surface, a goal announced by President Donald Trump in his first term.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re making history,&quot; Artemis 2 mission management team chair John Honeycutt told a press conference on Friday.&nbsp;Pretty pumpedUS astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canada&#39;s Jeremy Hansen, were on site Saturday for the rocket&#39;s rollout.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m actually pretty pumped to see that,&quot; Hansen told reporters. &quot;In just a few weeks, you&#39;re going to see four humans fly around the moon, and if we&#39;re doing that now, imagine what we can do next.&quot;&nbsp;Glover added: &quot;We&#39;re swinging for the fence, trying to make the impossible possible.&quot;&nbsp;Before the mission can take off, engineers must ensure the SLS rocket is safe and viable. After a battery of tests, a pre-launch simulation will be carried out.&nbsp;The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission took place in November 2022 after multiple postponements and two failed launch attempts.&nbsp;NASA hopes to put humans back on the Moon as China forges ahead with a rival effort that is targeting 2030 at the latest for its first crewed mission.&nbsp;Its uncrewed Chang&#39;e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon&#39;s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead this year.&nbsp;NASA is hoping that the Moon could be used to help prepare future missions to Mars.&nbsp;But the program has been plagued by delays.&nbsp;The US space agency surprised many late last year when it said Artemis 2 could happen as soon as February -- an acceleration explained by the Trump administration&#39;s wish to beat China to the punch.&nbsp;Artemis 3, currently scheduled for 2027, is expected to be pushed back, as industry experts say Elon Musk&#39;s SpaceX is behind on delivering the Starship megarocket needed for the mission.

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NASA rolled out its SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis 2, the first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years. Tests begin ahead of a possible February launch, marking steps toward future lunar exploration.

NASA moves moon rocket to launch pad for Artemis 2 mission

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ISLAMABAD: NASA and SpaceX will return the four astronauts of the Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station (ISS) on Jan. 14, cutting short their stay aboard the space station following a medical issue involving a crew member, the US space agency said on Monday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010797683796070660&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=384c2a3b4c5180f70fba7affb93efc2f29ddfa48&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 667px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>NASA said the decision was taken after consultations with flight surgeons and mission managers, concluding that the astronaut would be better evaluated and treated on Earth. The agency described the move as a precautionary medical return, stressing that the crew member is in stable condition and that the spacecraft and station remain safe. &ldquo;This is the first time in the International Space Station&rsquo;s 25-year history that a mission has been ended early for medical reasons,&rdquo; a NASA spokesperson said, calling the step &ldquo;unprecedented&rdquo; but necessary to prioritize the astronaut&#39;s health. Crew-11 launched to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in August 2025 for a mission originally expected to last about six months. The crew includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. NASA said it would not disclose the identity of the affected astronaut or details of the medical condition, citing privacy rules. Officials emphasized that there was no emergency aboard the station and that the return would follow standard procedures. The Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the ISS on Jan. 14, with a splashdown off the US West Coast expected the following day, weather permitting. Recovery teams will be on standby, and NASA plans to conduct post-landing medical evaluations and briefings after the crew returns. NASA said the early departure would not significantly disrupt space station operations. Other astronauts and cosmonauts currently aboard the ISS will continue routine research and maintenance work. The agency added that it is reviewing whether adjustments are needed to the schedule for upcoming crew rotations.

Official portrait of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 to the International Space Station: from left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov; NASA astronaut Mike Fincke; JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui; and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. (Image: SpaceX)

The astronauts are scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Jan. 14, weeks ahead of schedule, after doctors advised Earth-based evaluation, marking the first such health-related early return in the station’s 25-year history.

NASA to bring SpaceX Crew-11 back early over medical concerns

ISLAMABAD: NASA will send astronauts around the moon in February 2026, marking the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.&nbsp; The 10‑day mission will carry four astronauts on a lunar flyby. It is a crucial step in NASA&rsquo;s Artemis program, paving the way for future landings and establishing a permanent lunar presence. Testing systems beyond EarthArtemis II will validate the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft&#39;s ability to support human life in deep space, according to NASA.&nbsp; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/75660bae-8a14-4117-ad56-9cd8e4045ea8.png" style="width: 609px;" class="fr-fic fr-dii">This illustration shows NASA&rsquo;s new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), which will send&nbsp;astronauts to the Moon on the Artemis missions. (NASA) The crew will test life-support systems that generate breathable air and remove carbon dioxide, evaluating performance during both high-activity exercise periods and rest. These tests are essential for the extended journeys required for future lunar surface missions. Unlike Apollo missions that landed on the Moon, Artemis II follows a free-return trajectory, bringing astronauts close to the lunar surface before returning to Earth without landing. NASA officials have described Artemis II as both a test of hardware and human endurance, requiring rigorous training before astronauts attempt more complex tasks on subsequent missions. Meet the crew<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/b6a6c000-ec85-46f3-9876-cc80583c89c7.png" style="width: 446px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil">NASA astronauts (left to right) Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman,&nbsp;and Jeremy Hansen. (NASA/Josh Valcarcel) NASA commander Reid Wiseman, a Navy captain with 165 days of spaceflight experience, leads the 10‑day mission.&nbsp; Navy aviator Victor Glover, who piloted SpaceX&#39;s Crew-1 mission, will serve as pilot and become the first person of color to travel to the Moon. Christina Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days, will become the first woman to journey to lunar space.&nbsp; Canadian Air Force Colonel Jeremy Hansen will complete the crew as the first non-American to venture beyond Earth orbit. Beyond ApolloApollo 17 commander Eugene Cernan became the last human to walk on the Moon on December 14, 1972. The Apollo program completed six lunar landings between 1969 and 1972 before ending due to budget constraints, according to the NASA History Office. Artemis differs fundamentally in scope. Rather than short-term missions, the program aims to establish permanent infrastructure, including the Gateway lunar space station and surface habitats, to support sustained operations and eventual Mars missions. &quot;NASA remains focused on getting ready to safely fly four astronauts around the Moon and back,&quot; said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are now stacked at Kennedy Space Center, with NASA looking to launch as early as February 2026.&nbsp;Ground teams are accelerating final preparations, including crew dress rehearsals and a wet dress rehearsal that will involve loading cryogenic propellants to simulate launch conditions.

NASA’s Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby, testing spacecraft systems and life-support for future lunar landings and long-term human space exploration. It will be the first crewed Moon flight since 1972.

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