crewed

NASA is preparing to send four astronauts around the moon as soon as this evening, a 10-day mission that would rank as the boldest US human spaceflight effort in decades and a pivotal move in the race to return astronauts to the lunar surface before China mounts its first crewed landing. Mission managers on Monday gave a "go" for launch of Artemis II, clearing NASA's 98m (322-foot) Space Launch System rocket and its Orion crew capsule for liftoff as early as 6.24 p.m. (11.30pm Irish time) on Wednesday. The rocket is due to…