NASA is set to roll out the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B for final integration and testing ahead of Artemis II, the first crewed Moon mission. The 10-day test flight will see astronauts orbit the Moon, marking a major step in NASA’s Artemis programme
NASA is planning on rolling out the Artemis II rocket and spacecraft no earlier than January 17. PIC/X
NASA is entering the final stages of preparations for its first crewed Artemis Moon mission, Artemis II, with plans to roll the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B in Florida as early as January 17. The move marks the beginning of final integration, testing, and launch rehearsals. The four-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building on the crawler-transporter-2 is expected to take up to 12 hours. NASA teams are working around the clock to complete all technical checks ahead of rollout, though the schedule is subject to change depending on weather or additional preparations.
“We are moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “We have important steps remaining on our path to launch, and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity’s return to the Moon.”
In recent days, engineers addressed technical issues including a bent cable in the flight termination system, a valve problem in Orion’s hatch pressurisation, and leaky ground support hardware needed for loading breathing oxygen. All issues have been resolved or are being tested ahead of rollout.
Once at the pad, NASA will connect ground support equipment, power up integrated systems, and conduct extensive launch pad preparations. The Artemis II crew – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen – will perform a final walkdown at the pad.
Wet dress rehearsal and launch prep for Artemis II
At the end of January, NASA plans a wet dress rehearsal, a prelaunch test in which the rocket is fuelled with over 7 lakg gallons of cryogenic propellants, a countdown is conducted, and propellant removal is practiced – all without astronauts onboard. The rehearsal will also test the closeout crew procedures for securing astronauts in Orion. Multiple runs will simulate different holds and countdown scenarios to ensure readiness.
Following the wet dress rehearsal, a flight readiness review will determine whether all systems – flight hardware, launch infrastructure, and recovery teams – are ready to commit to a launch. The Artemis II launch window opens as early as February 6, with further opportunities through April. Launch dates are carefully selected based on orbital mechanics, spacecraft alignment with Earth and Moon, solar exposure, and return entry profiles.
Artemis II will be the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign in more than 50 years, marking a major step toward a sustained human presence on the Moon and preparing for future missions to Mars. The approximately 10-day test flight will allow NASA to evaluate spacecraft life support systems in lunar orbit before astronauts venture further.
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