Nasa Artemis 2 Moon Mission Launch Live Updates: Nasa's Orion spacecraft separates successfully, Artemis II crew begins manual flight test

Artemis II Moon Mission Launch Live: Nasa has begun fueling its Space Launch System ahead of the Artemis II launch, marking a major milestone in humanity’s return to the Moon’s vicinity after more than five decades. The mission will see four astronauts, including the first woman, first Black astronaut, and first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit, fly on a free-return trajectory around the Moon before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.Engineers are carrying out final checks, including cryogenic fueling and automated launch sequencing, while closely monitoring risks after earlier hydrogen leak concerns. The spacecraft will travel thousands of miles beyond the Moon, setting a new human distance record in space.As a crewed test flight, Artemis II focuses on validating systems rather than landing on the lunar surface. Its success will be crucial for future missions, particularly Artemis III, which aims to return humans to the Moon. The mission represents both a technological leap and a symbolic moment, signaling the beginning of a new era in human space exploration.The Artemis II mission is scheduled to lift off at 3:54 am IST on April 2 from Kennedy Space Center.If successful, it will mark humanity’s first crewed journey to the Moon’s vicinity since Apollo 17 in December 1972.Artemis II is the opening shot of Nasa's grand plans for a permanent moon base. The space program is aiming for a moon landing near the lunar south pole in 2028.The moon is about to welcome its first woman, first person of color and first non-American.