IN PHOTOS: NASA rolls out Artemis II rocket to launch pad for historic crewed Moon mission

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The rollout began at 12:20 a.m. EDT on Friday after being delayed earlier due to high winds. PIC/ AFP

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The journey to the launch pad is expected to take nearly 12 hours, with the crawler-transporter carrying the rocket and spacecraft about four miles along the crawlerway

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The move follows a successful wet dress rehearsal conducted on February 21

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However, engineers had earlier identified a technical issue that prevented helium from flowing to the rocket’s upper stage, prompting a return to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs

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Artemis II is set to carry four astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, on a 10-day mission around the Moon and back

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The mission will mark the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis program