Florida [US], April 2 (ANI): A crew of four astronauts has boarded their spacecraft in anticipation of a historic voyage around the Moon. The launch is scheduled for 6:24 pm ET today from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The international team is comprised of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. This ambitious lunar mission signifies the first human return to the Moon's proximity in over half a century. It also holds the potential to surpass the distance records established during the Apollo era, venturing further into deep space than any previous human endeavour.

In a post on X, President Donald Trump extended his support to the Artemis II crew, framing the mission as a testament to American leadership:

'We are WINNING in space, on Earth, and everywhere in between -- economically, militarily, and now, BEYOND THE STARS. Nobody comes close! America doesn't just compete, we DOMINATE, and the whole world is watching. God bless our incredible astronauts, God bless NASA, and God bless the greatest nation ever to exist, the United States of America!'

Leading the expedition is Mission Commander Reid Wiseman, 50, a former US Navy officer who joined NASA in 2009. Wiseman, who previously spent 165 days on the International Space Station (ISS), once remarked, 'I never thought I'd be an astronaut... it's like an unobtainable dream.' A single father since 2020, he has been open about the challenges of preparing his daughters for the inherent hazards of his profession.

Serving as the pilot for the Orion spacecraft is 49-year-old Victor Glover, a Navy veteran and father of four who transitioned to NASA from a role as a US Senate legislative advisor. Glover, who was inspired by a shuttle launch as a child and admitted, 'I really want to drive one of those,' will make history as the first person of colour to journey to the Moon.

Mission specialist Christina Koch, 47, is set to become the first woman to reach the lunar vicinity. An experienced engineer who has conducted research in Antarctica, Koch holds the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman. Guided by her personal philosophy to 'Do what scares you,' she was inspired to pursue this career by the famous Earthrise photograph from Apollo 8.

Rounding out the crew is Jeremy Hansen, 50, representing the Canadian Space Agency. A former fighter pilot, Hansen will be the first non-American to travel to the Moon's neighbourhood. Although this marks his first trip into orbit, the father of three has long dreamt of this moment since seeing images of Neil Armstrong on the lunar surface. (ANI)