Moon rocket and weather are on NASA’s side for the first astronaut launch in decades

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After weeks of fuel leaks and other issues, NASA faced a trouble-free countdown Tuesday on the eve of astronauts’ first trip to the moon in more than half a century. Officials reported the moon rocket was doing well on the pad, and the weather looked promising. Forecasters put the odds of favorable conditions at 80%. “Everybody’s pretty excited and understands the significance of this launch,” said senior test director Jeff Spaulding. The four astronauts assigned to t