NASA moon rocket on track for launch despite lightning hits

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's new moon rocket remained on track to blast off on a crucial test flight Monday, despite a series of lightning strikes at the launch pad.

The 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System rocket is the most powerful ever built by NASA. It's poised to send an empty crew capsule into lunar orbit, a half-century after NASA's Apollo program, which landed 12 astronauts on the moon.

Astronauts could return to the moon in a few years, if this six-week test flight goes well. NASA officials caution, however, that the risks are high and the flight could be cut short.

https://www.startribune.com/nasa-moon-rocket-on-track-for-launch-despite-lightning-hits/600201835/