The Artemis II rocket, consisting of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, arrived at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:42 p.m. local time on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
The transfer marked the completion of a nearly 12-hour rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
The transport was carried out by crawler-transporter 2, which began the approximately 6.4-kilometer (4-mile) journey hours earlier, moving at a maximum speed of just 1.3 km/h. The equipment slowly carried the stacked rocket and spacecraft to the launch complex.
After exiting the VAB doors, the stack made a scheduled stop so teams could reposition the crew access arm— the structure that allows astronauts and technical staff to access 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 milestone that tests cryogenic propellant loading, countdown procedures, and the safe draining of fuels. The test is scheduled to take place by no later than February 2.
NASA has not ruled out the need for additional rehearsals to ensure all systems are fully verified. If necessary, the rocket and spacecraft may return to the VAB for adjustments before the final launch date.
The Artemis II test flight will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on an approximately 10-day mission around the Moon and back to Earth.
The mission represents another step in the Artemis program toward new crewed operations on the lunar surface and the establishment of a sustained presence on Earth’s natural satellite, paving the way for future human missions to Mars.
Source and images: NASA. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
