Launch day has arrived for NASA's Artemis II mission-here's what to expect

"Victor Glover stated, 'It is actually a very long day,' emphasizing the tight schedule the astronauts follow leading up to the launch of Artemis II."

"The Artemis II mission will carry astronauts more than a quarter-million miles from Earth, setting records for both distance and speed during their journey."

"Reid Wiseman, the mission commander, along with his crew, will test the Orion spacecraft, which has been in development for 20 years and is flying with humans for the first time."

"The long-term goal of the Artemis program is to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon, with plans for a lunar base at the Moon's south pole."

The Artemis II mission involves a tightly scheduled day for astronauts, beginning eight hours before launch. The crew will travel over a quarter-million miles from Earth, setting records for distance and speed. The mission, which includes pilot Victor Glover, mission commander Reid Wiseman, and specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, is the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft. The long-term goal of the Artemis program is to establish a human presence on the Moon and prepare for future Mars expeditions.

Read at Ars Technica