How Bay Area's NASA Ames Research Center is playing pivotal role in Artemis II mission

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- For the first time in 50 years, astronauts will be returning to the moon, and Mountain View's NASA Ames Research Center will be playing a pivotal role during Artemis II's mission.

NASA Ames Center Director Dr. Eugene Tu joined ABC7's Midday show to talk about how the facility will be assisting with this historic flight.

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"Ames provided some key items for this mission, including the heat shield that will protect the astronauts and the capsule when it returns to Earth," said Dr. Tu. "As well as testing in the wind tunnels to make the performance of the rocket better."

Dr. Tu says the crew will see the far side of the Moon, which we don't typically see from Earth, and the scientific part of the mission is to identify features and landing sites for future missions.

The Space Launch System rocket is poised to blast off Wednesday evening with a two-hour launch window beginning at 6:24 p.m. EDT at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Artemis II is the opening shot of NASA's grand plans for a permanent moon base. The space program is aiming for a moon landing near the lunar south pole in 2028.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.