NASA Conducts Final Countdown Test Ahead of Historic Crewed Moon Mission

For the first time in over 50 years, NASA is on the verge of sending American astronauts beyond low Earth orbit, igniting the engines of exploration that Democrats and globalists let rust in the name of bureaucracy and budget cuts.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, under the light of a full moon, NASA’s Artemis II countdown rehearsal began a critical two-day test simulating launch day right down to fueling the 322-foot-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with over 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant. The only thing missing was engine ignition.

This “wet dress rehearsal” is one of the final hurdles before the first American crew returns to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. It’s a mission that should’ve happened decades ago if not for the slow decay of national priorities under weak leadership. But with Artemis, the U.S. is ready to reclaim its place above the stars.

The Artemis II crew includes:

• Reid Wiseman (Commander) – Veteran astronaut and Navy aviator

• Victor Glover (Pilot) – U.S. Navy commander making his first trip beyond orbit

• Christina Koch (Mission Specialist) – Record-holder for longest female spaceflight

• Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist) – The first Canadian on a lunar mission

Together, they will ride the Orion capsule “Integrity” on a 10-day loop around the Moon, passing 6,400 miles beyond its far side before splashing down in the Pacific. It’s more than a test flight it’s a turning point in history.

The crew is currently in quarantine at Johnson Space Center in Houston, closely monitoring launch readiness before transferring to Kennedy Space Center once the rocket is cleared for flight. The earliest possible launch date is February 8, with a hard deadline of February 11 before the window closes.

Artemis is not just about science it’s about sovereignty.

China and Russia are eyeing the Moon for strategic footholds. China’s space program, tightly controlled by the Communist Party, is aggressively racing to build a permanent presence on the lunar surface. If America doesn’t lead, others will. Artemis is our answer and it’s long overdue.

Why this mission matters:

• Ends a half-century of delay caused by shifting priorities and political cowardice

• Restores American leadership in space, which has eroded under U.N.-style “global collaboration” schemes

• Lays groundwork for a permanent lunar base and, ultimately, manned missions to Mars

The Artemis program is a bold step forward, but it also serves as a reminder of what’s possible when America leads unapologetically. We’re not hitching rides on Russian rockets anymore. We’re building our own way to the stars like we used to.

As Commander Wiseman put it: “In our lifetime, we’ve looked at the Moon knowing people had been there… In the Artemis generation, kids will look at the Moon going, we are there.”

This is the America we remember. The America that builds. The America that leads.

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