The countdown is underway at Kennedy Space Center for the launch of the Artemis II mission, which will carry four astronauts into lunar orbit . The launch of the giant SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, which houses the Orion capsule, is scheduled for 6:24 p.m. local time ( 00:24 CET) on April 2.

Weather conditions are 80% favorable , but the situation could change easily and is therefore being monitored constantly, with particular attention to cumulus clouds , surface winds, and solar activity , as Mark Burger, launch meteorologist for the United States Air Force, said in a press conference. Meteorologists are considering "particularly exuberant" solar activity due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) initially scheduled for March 30, which has not yet struck Earth. According to experts, as time passes, it becomes less likely that it will generate a strong geomagnetic storm, and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a moderate storm, enough to not affect either the launch or the entire Artemis II mission.

Meanwhile, in Washington , NASA is already thinking about the future of lunar exploration and, in the agreement signed yesterday with Italy, the Mph habitation modules for the lunar surface built in our country have become an integral part of the project.

The four astronauts, namely Commander Reid Wiseman , Pilot Victor Glover , Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen , are undergoing final checks and medical checks prior to launch after being quarantined. They are continuing to follow a controlled sleep schedule and nutritional plan to maintain energy and hydration ahead of launch.

(Unioneonline/vl)

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