New Orleans plays a starring role in NASA's Artemis II mission — a high-stakes crewed test flight marking America's return to the Moon.

Why it matters: Florida may get the glory for hosting the launch tonight, but New Orleans built a significant part of the rocket that will take the crew to space.

The big picture: The two-hour launch window opens at 5:24pm today.

• Yet space travel remains unpredictable at best.
• The Artemis II "stack" — that's the Space Launch System rocket plus the Orion spacecraft atop it — had to be rolled back into its hangar in late February to fix technical issues that prevented an earlier launch attempt.
• If today's attempt is scrubbed, there are launch windows every day through Monday.

Zoom in: Workers at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility built the "orange parts" of the SLS that will carry Orion into space, Michoud director Hansel Gill says.

• The new launch system is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built. NASA ultimately plans to use it for missions to Mars.
• Michoud built the system's core stage, which NASA calls the "backbone" of the rocket. Boeing is the prime contractor.

Zoom out: The 10-day Artemis II mission is a crewed "dress rehearsal" for a lunar landing.

• NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch will become the first person of color and first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit, respectively.
• Canada's Jeremy Hansen will become the first non-American to voyage beyond that mark.

The timeline: While no small feat, Artemis II is only a lunar flyby.

• NASA once planned a moon landing with Artemis III, but recently revised its schedule.
• Artemis III will now involve testing lunar lander vehicles, with a moon landing targeted for Artemis IV in 2028.

What's next: NASA hopes to return to the Moon annually, if not more often, with the ambitious goal of establishing a lunar base.

• But first: A quick visit to check out the cosmic neighborhood before getting into the real estate market.

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Four New Orleans chefs made the final cut yesterday on the way to winning a James Beard Award, the so-called Oscars of the food world.

🤩 The local nominees:

• Best chef in the South: Ana Castro (Acamaya) and Serigne Mbaye (Dakar NOLA)
• Outstanding restaurateur: Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski
• Emerging chef: E.J. Lagasse (Emeril's)

What's next: The winners will be announced June 15 in Chicago.

Full list of nominees

Passover begins at sundown tonight.

The big picture: During the Jewish holiday, observers eat matzo and other unleavened breads as a way to remember that the Jews fled Egypt so fast that their dough didn't have time to rise.

• The seder is the main Passover ritual and is a holiday meal that includes the re-telling of the story of the exodus from Egypt.

Looking for Jewish food? Try Kosher Cajun Deli in Metairie, one of the oldest Jewish delis in south Louisiana.

• It's half restaurant and half market. You can eat matzo ball soup there and get fresh pickles to go.
• Other options include Saba, Shaya, Stein's, Bodega, Smoke and Honey, Safta's Table and Rimon.

More about Passover

🚧 Mayor Helena Moreno says she's ramping up pothole filling efforts. City crews have been repairing about 500 per week. Now, the goal is 1,500 per week. (Facebook)

• Moreno's requesting $2.5M in federal funds to hire crews and buy another pothole filling truck. (Press release)

🚓 The French Quarter police drone program heads to City Council now that the French Quarter Management District voted to fund it. NOPD wants to eventually expand it across the city. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)

• The program is modeled after Jefferson Parish, which has one of the largest in the country. (Axios)

🗳️ Scott Walker dropped out of the race for Jefferson Parish president. He says he'll stay until his council term ends in January 2028. (Facebook)

🙏 Alfred Singleton, the co-owner and executive chef at Cafe Sbisa, has died. (Instagram)

📺 The St. Louis Cathedral is featured in a new series on Fox Nation called "America's Churches with Benjamin Hall." St. Mary's Church is included too. (Stream it)

🎤 Lil Wayne added more tour dates — and still left out Louisiana. (Schedule)

🎾 Shia LaBeouf is reportedly bothering his neighbors at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club. (TMZ)

The 10th annual Krewe du Fool parade rolls tonight at 7 through the Marigny.

• The only-in-New Orleans event celebrates foolishness every April Fools' Day. This year's theme is "Let the gold shine."

See the route.