Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Artemis II mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Wednesday. The mission aims to send four astronauts around the moon on a roughly 10-day journey.

During a similar test earlier this month, sensors detected a leak of super-cooled liquid hydrogen – rocket fuel for NASA's SLS rocket.

The four are set to dock with the space station on Saturday, returning the orbital lab to its full complement of seven. NASA's last mission, Crew-11, left a month early due to an ill crew member.

You may not have noticed, but NASA is about to launch a crewed mission to the moon. Let's catch up on the latest Artemis mission, which could lift off as soon as this weekend.

The Wet Dress Rehearsal is a critical test of the fueling and countdown of NASA's SLS rocket, which could launch a crew of four as early as Feb. 6.

So far, the Space Coast's facilities have tallied 109 launches. A potential launch Sunday by SpaceX could bring the end-of-year number to 110, shattering last year's record of 93 launches.

The dress rehearsal for NASA's Artemis II launch will help prepare the astronauts for the real launch date, which is planned for no earlier than February.

A proposal by the FAA would include shutting down Playlinda beach for up to 60 days to accommodate the launches.

The crew arrived at the station in March after launching from Kennedy Space Center on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

NASA and SpaceX's Crew-11 mission is made up of two U.S. astronauts, one from Japan and a Russian cosmonaut. They'll be aboard the International Space Station for six months conducting research.

SpaceX, which has gained international recognition for its rocket launches and partnership with NASA, is expanding operations in Florida.

The crew of four will spend two weeks at the orbiting lab, performing dozens of experiments, after launching Wednesday on a SpaceX private flight from the Kennedy Space Center.