The Artemis II rocket, which consists of Space Launch System (SLS) and the spacecraft Orionarrived at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 18.42 local time Saturday 17 January 2026.
The move marked the end of an almost 12-hour transport from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
The transport was carried out by crawler transporter 2, which started the approximately 6.4 kilometer (4 mi) route several hours earlier and moved at a maximum speed of only 1.3 km/h. The equipment slowly transported the stacked rocket and spacecraft to the launch complex.
After exiting the VAB gates, the assembly made a scheduled stop so the teams could reposition the crew access arm — the structure that allows astronauts and technical personnel access to the Orion spacecraft on launch day.
In the coming days, engineers and technicians will prepare Artemis II for the so-called wet dress rehearsal, a critical phase that tests the refueling of cryogenic propellants, countdown procedures and the safe discharge of fuel. The test is planned to be carried out no later than 2 February.
NASA does not preclude the need for additional tests to ensure that all systems are fully verified. If necessary, the rocket and spacecraft can return to VAB for adjustments before the final launch date.
+ Poland plans to ban Chinese-made cars in military areas due to espionage risks
The Artemis II test flight will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a roughly 10-day mission around the Moon and back to Earth.
The mission represents another step in the Artemis program towards new manned operations on the lunar surface and the establishment of a permanent presence on Earth’s natural satellite, while paving the way for future manned missions to Mars.
Source and images: NASA. This content has been created with the help of KI and reviewed by the editors.
