NASA's Artemis lunar mission remains on schedule following Hurricane Nicole

After Hurricane Nicole's passage went away from Florida, US space agency NASA announced that it will resume its long-delayed uncrewed mission to the Moon as scheduled for next Wednesday at 01:04 local time (0604 GMT).

Space agency's senior official said that there was "nothing preventing" a launch and that NASA had gained access to the launch pad on Thursday (November 10).

The US is making efforts to reach Moon five decades later to set a step again. The Artemis 1, a heavy-lift rocket will be sending astronauts to the Moon. The Orion crew capsule will be launched to the Moon by the rocket without touching down on the lunar surface. If the mission goes as per plan, it will probably last for 25 days and a half days before the capsule returns on December 11 in the Pacific, AFP reported.

Jim Free, NASA's senior official who looks after the exploration system said that it still needs to conduct a few checks to ensure a smooth mission. Free, said that two backup launch dates have been set for November 19 and November 25 in case they are required.

NASA's rocket was damaged by category 1 Hurricane Nicole's winds while it was positioned at the Kennedy Space Centres' launch pad. However, the winds were not greater, the rocket was taken back out of the launch pad.

NASA's Artemis programme aims to send the first woman and the first person of colour to the Moon by the year 2025. By building a space station, the space agency aims to create a human presence on the moon.