NASA's Artemis II mission will send four astronauts around the moon to test Orion's systems, expand international partnerships and pave the way for moon landings.

NASA's Artemis II crew arrived in Florida on Friday, signaling final preparations are underway for the first crewed Moon mission since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

The four astronauts making NASA’s next lunar leap bear little resemblance to the Apollo era.The Americans who blazed the trail to the moon more than half a century ago were white men chosen for their military test pilot experience.

It's the dawn of a new lunar era for NASA, with the four-person Artemis II crew arriving Friday afternoon at Florida's Kennedy Space Center after spending two weeks quarantining in Houston. CBS News space contributor Christian Davenport joins "The Takeout" to preview the mission.

The Artemis II countdown will begin March 30, setting up a launch attempt on April 1 at 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time.

The excitement is building with NASA now just a few days away from sending four astronauts on a voyage around the moon. On Wednesday, the space agency shared its schedule for coverage of the final buildup and main event,

The Astronauts for NASA's Artemis 2 mission to fly around the moon have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, just five days before their historic mission is scheduled to lift off.

The astronauts of the Artemis II mission arrive at Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 3 ahead of their mission around the moon.