In Cape Canaveral, Florida, anticipation reached new heights as NASA prepared to launch its moon rocket on Wednesday, marking humanity’s return to lunar exploration after more than 50 years. The ambitious mission, involving four astronauts, was scheduled for an evening liftoff.

As the countdown progressed, the tension was palpable. Hours before the planned departure, the rocket began receiving its hydrogen fuel. Earlier in the year, a practice countdown had been disrupted by dangerous hydrogen leaks, causing a significant delay. However, this time, the fueling process concluded without major issues, much to the team’s relief.

The launch crew successfully pumped over 700,000 gallons of fuel into the towering 32-story Space Launch System rocket, setting the stage for the Artemis II crew to embark on their historic journey. “It is time to fly,” declared Commander Reid Wiseman on the eve of the launch, expressing optimism about the favorable weather forecast.

The mission promises to be groundbreaking, as the crew—comprised of three Americans and one Canadian—will undertake a flyby of the moon without landing or orbiting. Instead, they will create a new chapter in space exploration by setting a distance record, traveling approximately 4,000 miles beyond the moon before making a U-turn for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

This mission marks the first time astronauts will journey to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972, underscoring a significant milestone in NASA’s continual quest to explore beyond our planet.

Astronauts last flew to the moon during Apollo 17 in 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 next era of exploration begins,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X.

Best wishes already have started to pour in, including from England’s King Charles III to Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Hansen will become the first non-U. S. citizen to launch to the moon. The crew also includes Christina Koch and Victor Glover, the first woman and first Black astronaut, respectively, destined for the moon.

“In this historic moment, you stand as a bridge between nations and generations,” the king wrote in a letter to Hansen, “and I commend you for your courage, discipline and vision that have brought you to this threshold.”