NASA's Artemis II mission has entered its final preparations for a groundbreaking lunar flyby, with the Orion spacecraft reaching a critical point where the Moon's gravity now dominates its trajectory. This mission, set to occur on Monday, marks the first crewed journey around the Moon since the Apollo program, which last took place between 1968 and 1972. The four-member crew, comprising three Americans and one Canadian, will not land on the Moon but will gather vital operational and scientific data to support future lunar missions. The flyby is expected to last about seven hours, and NASA will livestream the event on multiple platforms, including its website and YouTube. The mission aims to break the distance record set by Apollo 13, reaching approximately 252,757 miles (406,772 kilometers) from Earth. Notably, Christina Koch will become the first woman to travel around the Moon, and Jeremy Hansen will be the first non-American astronaut to do so. The crew will observe previously unseen lunar features, including the Orientale Basin, and will also experience a temporary communication blackout as they pass behind the Moon. This mission is seen as a significant step towards establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon, with future missions planned for lunar landings.