NASA announces first crewed mission to the Moon in 50 years and it's very soon

NASA has announced that a team of astronauts are set to head on a trip around the Moon early next year.

In what would be the first crewed lunar mission in five decades, four space cadets are scheduled to jet off as soon as February for the 10-day mission.

The crew will climb onboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, which is described as a super heavy-lift rocket which provides 'the foundation for human exploration beyond Earth orbit', for a test flight.

It's all part of the plan to help make future landings on the Moon easier, as well as possible missions to Mars.

Lakiesha Hawkins, an acting deputy associate administrator at NASA, highlighted the significance of next year's mission - known as Artemis II - in a conference on Tuesday (23 September).

"We together have a front row seat to history," she said. "The launch window could open as early as the fifth of February, but we want to emphasise that safety is our top priority."

It will be the first crewed lunar mission in 50 years (NASA)

The mission's launch director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, said that the SLS rocket was 'pretty much stacked and ready to go', explaining there are only a few more steps left to complete.

Experts must complete the crew capsule connected to SLS - known as the Orion spacecraft - and carry out ground tests.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch will be joined by Canada's Jeremy Hansen on the landmark mission to the Moon.

Although they won't touch down on it during the ten-day trip, it is still a pivotal feat, given that the foursome will be the first people to head there since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Sharing some details of the Artemis II mission, flight director Jeff Radigan told reporters: "They're going at least 5,000 nautical miles (9,200Km) past the Moon, which is much higher than previous missions have gone."

Wiseman, Glover, Koch and Hansen will call the Orion capsule home for the entirety of the mission.

Wiseman, Glover, Koch and Jeremy Hansen will embark on a ten-day trip (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

NASA previously said of next year's Artemis II test flight: "Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft will confirm all of the spacecraft’s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars - for the benefit of all.

"The unique Artemis II mission profile will build upon the uncrewed Artemis I flight test by demonstrating a broad range of SLS and Orion capabilities needed on deep space missions.

"This mission will prove Orion’s critical life support systems are ready to sustain our astronauts on longer duration missions ahead and allow the crew to practice operations essential to the success of Artemis III and beyond."

The plan is that after the mission is complete, Orion and its crew will head back to the moon again - and next time, astronauts will hopefully walk on the lunar surface.

Alexa, get Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon on repeat for these astronauts, please.

It comes as reports emerged claiming that NASA is considering trialling a new defence strategy to prevent a giant asteroid hurtling towards the Moon, which would pose a huge risk to space cadets.