Artemis 1 is go for launch to the Moon! Here's how to watch from anywhere
Stay up late tonight to catch the lift off of this new mission that will help put astronauts back on the Moon!
It's been nearly 50 years since humans last walked on the Moon, and NASA is now in the final hours of preparing a new mission — Artemis 1 — to return there. Tune in tonight as the world gets a front-row seat to this historic launch.
The Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System booster rocket sit, ready, at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B. After weathering Hurricane Nicole last week, Artemis 1 has been deemed ready for flight.
The clock is now counting down for a launch overnight tonight, at precisely 1:04 a.m. EST, Wednesday morning.
Artemis 1 sits on the launch pad ready to test NASA's return to the Moon. Credit: NASA
According to the US Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron forecast, there is a 90 per cent chance of favourable conditions for Artemis 1's two-hour launch window. With a cold front holding off to the west, over the Gulf of Mexico, the weather is expected to be calm.
"The front is expected to remain west of the area and too weak to otherwise impact local weather conditions across the Spaceport early Wednesday morning. As a result, excellent weather is expected during the primary launch window, with the Cumulus Cloud Rule being only a minor concern," they wrote in their forecast discussion. The "Cumulus Cloud Rule" is one launch safety criteria they use at Kennedy Space Center, to prevent a rocket from launching in conditions that would cause a lightning strike.
Read more: What happened when two bolts of lightning struck Apollo 12
NASA's live coverage of the Artemis 1 lift off begins at 10:30 p.m. EST. Watch the livestream below:
With the clear weather, this nighttime launch should be a spectacular sight to behold.
Once the Space Launch System has delivered Orion into orbit, the spacecraft is expected to spend roughly 25 days travelling to the Moon and back.