Nasa's artemis ii astronauts prepare for historic moon shot

NASA's Artemis II crew is gearing up for a landmark mission that would mark the first crewed moon landing since 1972. The four-person team is currently at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparing for liftoff as early as this Wednesday.

Artemis ii's nine-day journey to the moon and back

The astronauts are in for a grueling nine-day, nearly 500,000-mile round trip. Once aboard the spacecraft, they will journey to the moon, circle its far side, and make the return trip to Earth.

But space travel is inherently risky, and this test flight is no exception. In the unlikely event of an emergency, a global team of air force rescuers stands ready to spring into action.

Rescue teams train for the worst-case scenario

Detachment 3, an elite unit of the U.S. Air Force, has coordinated rescue efforts for NASA since 1959. Led by Lt. Col. Kevin Pieper, the team trains relentlessly for a moment they hope never to face.