Another step towards the agency's potentially historic return of a heavy vehicle to the vicinity of the Moon next week has been taken by NASA, as it has closed up the hatch of its new spaceship.
The agency's gargantuan Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will launch Monday morning from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center as part of its Artemis 1 mission.
The window will open at 8:33 am The live stream will start at 8 am.
After it is in the air, the capsule will begin its journey to and around the nearest star.
NASA said that the crew module hatch was closed early Thursday. When crews return to the ground, NASA's zero gravity indicator will let them know when it kicks in.
The event will be a major media circus, with NASA packing the launch with a number of celebrity guests and officials warning of major traffic jams.
There are final preparations for the launch.
Engineers will close the launch abort system hatch and the crew access arm in order to get to the craft. The booster and core stage engine service platforms have been moved into place.
We are waiting for the weather forecast. NASA is hoping for 70% favorable weather conditions. Scattered rain showers are the main weather concern.
The Artemis Moon program is the first of its kind. The first crewed mission, Artemis 2, will take astronauts around the Moon, while the first crewed landing on the lunar surface is likely to take place in the year 2025.
It has been a long time since the launch. Billions of budget overruns and years of delays have hampered the development of NASA's SLS rocket.
Will the huge structure be able to take on the challenge of going into space? We can't do anything right now.
NASA's Artemis 1 mission closes the hatch on the new spaceship.
There is more on Artemis I: NASA Artemis 1 Moon Launch.
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