The Artemis II mission, set to lift off as early as Wednesday and fly around the moon, is the latest chapter in a long history of lunar exploratory space missions launched by NASA over the last six decades.

In the same way that Artemis II serves as the first crewed spaceflight to test technology for future missions to the moon and Mars, Apollo 8, which launched on Dec. 21, 1968, was the first crewed spaceflight to reach the moon and also served as a lunar landing preparation mission, preceding Apollo 11's July 20, 1969, lunar landing.

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-ABC News' Mason Leib

Weather is expected to be a green light at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the Artemis II mission to launch.

The two-hour window from 6:24 to 8:24 p.m. will feature temperatures in the mid to low 70s, forecasters say.

Winds will be between 8 and 16 mph, with a rare gust up to 20 mph, max.

There will be a mix of clouds and clear skies with no forecast chance for rain or lightning.

-ABC News’ Kenton Gewecke

As NASA engineers and astronauts prepare to launch the Artemis II rocket to the moon today, here are some key numbers regarding the mission.

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-ABC News' Julia Jacobo

The Artemis II crew is now awake and beginning their launch day activities.

NASA astronaut and mission commander Reid Wiseman, NASA astronaut and pilot Victor Glover, NASA astronaut and mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency Astronaut and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen will have breakfast and then begin their final preparations for launch day.

-ABC News' Matthew Glasser

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen told Mission Control that the crew is "glued to the window" of the spacecraft, enjoying the views of Earth.

“None of us can get to lunch because we’re glued to the window. We’re taking pictures,” he said, calling the sight of their home planet from space "phenomenal."