NASA’s Artemis II Rocket Arrives at Launch Pad Ahead of Moon Mission
NASA’s Space Launch System – the rocket that will carry four astronauts to the Moon for the first time in more than fifty years – along with the Orion spacecraft, have been moved to their launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission, named Artemis II, will take off as early as February 6, although later launch dates are also available in March or April.
Before that, the rocket will undergo final checks and a rehearsal launch, followed by a 10-day mission.
Learn more: Artemis prepares to take people to the Moon and beyond
Movement of the system that will launch the Artemis II mission
Getting the rocket to the launch pad wasn’t easy. The Space Launch System is about 322 feet tall (nearly 100 meters) and had to be moved vertically along the 4-mile (6.5 km) route from NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to the platform. The rocket was carried by one of the space agency’s tracked transporter vehicles, which are the heaviest self-propelled vehicles on the planet.
The rocket’s journey to Earth was a little slower than its next ascent to the Moon will be, with a maximum speed of just 0.82 mph. The journey took 12 hours, departing at 7:04 a.m. local time and arriving at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center at 6:41 p.m. local time.
Undergoing a wet dress rehearsal
Next, the rocket will conduct a so-called “wet” dress rehearsal, during which the space agency will test the rocket’s refueling and countdown protocols. This rehearsal will take place no later than February 2, 2026, specifies a press release from NASA.
Next, the rocket will carry a spacecraft containing American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, around the Moon. It will be the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo 17 landed on the satellite’s surface in December 1972.
Artemis II will not reach the Moon, but will set the stage for an upcoming surface mission, Artemis III, which experts estimate will launch sometime in 2028.
“There’s really nothing better than this: We’re making history,” John Honeycutt, chairman of the Artemis II mission management team, said during a recent video news conference with NASA.
Artemis II will circle the Moon
The Artemis II flight will determine the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft, which NASA hopes will enable future deep space missions. The ultimate goal of the program is to send the first-ever crewed mission to Mars.
After leaving Earth’s atmosphere, the Space Launch System will detach its boosters, service module panels, and launch abort system. The rocket’s upper stage and spacecraft will then spend two days in orbit around Earth. This will give the mission enough time to evaluate the astronauts’ life support system while they are still (relatively) close to home.
Next, the spacecraft will propel itself toward the Moon with a translunar injection, beginning a four-day journey. Once arriving at the satellite, the mission will have a three-hour window to image the far side of the Moon. This detailed analysis of the surface and geology will set the stage for future landings at the Moon’s south pole. The mission will travel more than 4,600 miles beyond the Moon, allowing them to see the Moon with the Earth framing it, nearly 250,000 miles behind. The mission’s return trip will allow the spacecraft to be pulled home by Earth’s gravitational field.
Before this enormous journey can begin, the Space Launch System may have even more ground travel ahead of it: NASA has warned that it may have to return to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional work if necessary before finally blasting off.
Learn more: Neil deGrasse Tyson responds to Artemis 2 announcement
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