An uncrewed test flight will launch this morning and return to the moon for the first time in almost 50 years.

The NASA Orion Spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket is a part of the Artemis One mission to the Moon.

It marks the beginning of a new era of lunar exploration.

Teams have been given a ‘go’ to proceed with @NASA_SLS upper stage tanking.

— NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) August 29, 2022

Moving on up! The SLS Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage – that sits on top of the core stage – is starting to fill up with liquid hydrogen. The upper stage gives @NASA_Orion the power it needs to leave low Earth orbit and head to the Moon!

— NASA_SLS (@NASA_SLS) August 29, 2022

A successful launch will be the lead-up to a second mission(Artemis 2), where a Canadian Space Agency astronaut will be a part of the first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

The launch will take place at 8:15 am ET.

Today’s event will be broadcast live on the CSA’s You Tube channel and Facebook page.