NASA is set to conduct the final testing for humans’ first return to the Moon in more than 50 years.
The human spaceflight milestone will involve four astronauts flying around the Moon without landing on its surface.
The space agency says it is preparing for a full “wet dress rehearsal” of the Artemis II mission.
What is a ‘wet dress rehearsal?
A wet dress rehearsal is a final testing where engineers and crew conduct testing of the spacecraft.
The launch team practices all pre-launch procedures, with the launch vehicle fully fueled.
The space industry calls it a 'wet' test because the rocket is fuelled with liquid propellant, as opposed to a 'dry' rehearsal with empty tanks.
The 98-metre Space Launch System rocket rolled out to the launch pad two weeks ago, and NASA had been preparing to carry out the fuelling test on Saturday.
However, the agencydelayed the test run and missionon Thursday because near-freezing temperatures were forecast at the launch site.
The critical dress rehearsal is now scheduled for Monday, 2 February, weather permitting.
Teams will load the rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of super-cold fuel, stopping about 30 seconds before the engines would ignite.
The teams will also practice removing the fuel from the rocket and will conduct a launch countdown.
A simulated launch window will begin at 9 PM. ET (3 am CET) and is expected to last until 1 AM (6 am CET).
If the test goes well, NASA could attempt as early as February 8. There are also launch opportunities in March and April.
Four astronauts are already in quarantine to avoid illness, according to the space agency.
They will monitor the dress rehearsal from their base in Houston before flying to the Kennedy Space Center once the rocket is cleared for flight.
The United States and Canadian crew will fly around the Moon and return directly to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The mission is expected to last nearly 10 days.
NASA sent 24 astronauts to the Moon during the Apollo programme between 1968 and 1972. Twelve of them walked on the lunar surface.
