Nasa ‘on track’ for Artemis II moon mission launch as soon as 1 April

US space agency says it is working towards new date after February launch delayed by technical difficulties

Nasa has said the long-delayed launch of Artemis II, the first crewed flyby mission to the moon in more than 50 years, could happen as soon as 1 April.

“We are on track for a launch as early as April 1, and we are working toward that date,” Lori Glaze, a senior Nasa official, told a press conference on Thursday. Technical difficulties delayed a launch originally expected in February.