The Artemis 2 mission will send humans to the vicinity of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years on a mission lasting almost 10 days.

NASA begun fueling its moon rocket Wednesday for humanity’s first lunar trip in more than half a century, aiming for an evening liftoff with four astronauts. Tensions were high as hydrogen fuel started flowing into the rocket hours ahead of the planned launch.

NASA’s return to the Moon took decades due to complex technology, funding challenges and changing political priorities.

NASA's SLS moon rocket casts a striking silhouette against the rising sun ahead of the agency's Artemis 2 mission, currently scheduled for April 1.