US EditionNASA mega-rocket for moon mission could launch in weeks
NASA aims for mid-January rollout of Artemis II’s Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center to enable a February lunar flyby launch window, pending system readiness.
- On Jan. 17, NASA plans to roll the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B, weather and technical readiness permitting, with Artemis II on track for a Feb. 6 launch window through April 10.
- At the end of January, NASA will conduct a wet dress rehearsal to fuel the rocket with 3.2m litres of propellant and run countdown procedures before a Flight Readiness Review.
- Engineers are resolving last-minute glitches, including replacing a bent flight-termination system cable and testing the Orion hatch pressurization valve replaced on Jan. 5 after Artemis I wet dress rehearsals revealed liquid hydrogen leaks.
- NASA's Crawler-Transporter 2 will move the stack from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B in a four-mile trek up to 12 hours, then teams will connect ground support equipment and power up integrated systems for final checkouts.
- Artemis II is the first crewed lunar flight since Apollo 17 and will run a roughly 10-day mission duration, with launch period constraints limiting liftoff to about five days each month.
35 Articles
35 Articles
‘Just around the corner:’ NASA prepares Artemis II for rollout to launch pad at Kennedy Space Center
NASA announced it is preparing to roll out the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center no earlier than Jan. 17, marking a major milestone toward the first crewed mission of the Artemis program.The four‑mile move, carried by crawler‑transporter‑2, is expected to take up to 12 hours as teams begin final integration, testing and launch rehearsals. NASA said crews have been …
Orlando Sentinel
NASA targets Artemis II rollout to pad, details launch options
NASA could be sending a crew on the Orion spacecraft out past the moon in less than a month if everything falls into place. But first the agency has to get its rocket to the launch pad.
Moon Mission Could Launch as Soon as Feb. 6
NASA is getting ready to send astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than half a century—and then pull off the riskiest part: bringing them home. The Artemis II mission, targeted for launch as soon as February, will put four astronauts—NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover,...
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