The American space agency NASA has chosen a new upper stage for its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, intended for lunar missions as part of the reconfigured Artemis space program, amid a shakeup in the program.

NASA has successfully remedied technical malfunctions with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket designated for the Artemis 2 lunar mission, and continues to plan for a human-crewed launch.

NASA said on Friday it is targeting March 6 as the earliest launch date for Artemis II, the mission that will send four astronauts on a flight around the Moon and back, after completing a second full countdown-and-fueling rehearsal of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.