Race to the Moon: Artemis Mission Nears Launch

NASA's Artemis program plans a crewed moon mission in April, potentially advancing to February. This mission marks a crucial step in the U.S.'s multibillion-dollar effort to return humans to the moon, rivaling China's similar initiative targeting a moon landing by 2030.

NASA is progressing on its first crewed mission around the moon under the Artemis program, with a launch targeted for April, and a possibility of an earlier window in February. The announcement came from officials during a briefing on Tuesday.

The Artemis program is the centerpiece of the U.S. space agency's vision to return humans to the lunar surface, marking a significant chapter in space exploration with a budget running into billions of dollars.

This ambitious initiative positions the United States directly in competition with China's space aspirations, as the latter also aims for a moon landing by 2030, setting the stage for a new era in international space race dynamics.

(With inputs from agencies.)