NASA is nearing the second attempt to launch the Artemis moon rocket on its first test flight

A second attempt to launch NASA’s massive next-generation moon rocket on its first flight. Mission management are still planning to launch the 32-story-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and its Orion space capsule on Saturday afternoon.

The Artemis I mission is the first for both the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule. If the Artemis I mission is delayed again for whatever reason, NASA may attempt it again on Monday or Tuesday. Unlike Apollo, the current lunar missions aim to construct a long-term, sustainable base of operations.

The SLS and Orion have been in the works for more than a decade, with years of delays and skyrocketing expenditures totaling at least $37 billion as of last year. According to NASA, the Artemis program has also created tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue for the aerospace sector.