KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – With years of delays, News 6 has asked NASA’s senior vehicle operations manager many times about the possible rollout dates and launch windows.
Now, as soon as Monday, the animation could finally become reality, the most powerful rocket to ever launch from Kennedy Space Center carrying NASA’s dreams of a return to the moon.
“And as of right now, we’re looking good to get into that launch countdown,” Cliff Lanham said. “I’m somewhat calm but come Monday morning, I don’t think that will be the case.”
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Four days out, NASA said that technically, the Space Launch System is ready and looking at the weather, the Space Force released its forecast Thursday showing mostly favorable conditions.
The primary concern is scattered rain showers.
“I’m looking forward to watching this next generation of astronauts fly this vehicle to the moon,” retired NASA astronaut Doug Hurley said.
Two years ago, Hurley became the first commander of the SpaceX Crew Dragon.
The Demo-2 launch attracted crowds comparable to the hundreds of thousands Brevard County expects for Artemis I.
Hurley also flew on the space shuttle like his wife, Karen Nyberg.
For the third Artemis mission as soon as 2025, NASA said a woman will land on the moon for the first time.
“I’m sure if there was a way that we could get my wife and I and my son on it, we’d go do it,” Hurley said. “But I tell you what, we have some very close friends in the astronaut office and we’re excited for them.”
With NASA continuing to report that the launch window will open at 8:33 Monday morning, the countdown clock will start counting down Saturday, 46 hours out from liftoff.
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