NASA’s Space Launch System — the rocket that will carry four astronauts to the moon for the first time in over fifty years — along with the Orion spacecraft, has been moved to its launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission, named Artemis II, will blast off as early as February 6, although later launch dates are also available in March or April.
Before then, the rocket will undergo final checks and a rehearsal launch, followed by the 10-day mission.
Read More: Artemis Prepares to Take People to the Moon and Beyond
Moving the System that Will Launch the Artemis II Mission
Getting the rocket to the launch pad wasn’t easy. The Space Launch System is about 322 feet tall (almost 100 meters) and had to be moved vertically along the 4-mile (6.5km) route from NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad. The rocket was carried by one of the space agency’s crawler transporter vehicles, which are the heaviest self-powered vehicles on the planet.
The rocket’s Earth-based journey was somewhat slower than its forthcoming ascent to the moon will be, clocking in at a maximum speed of just 0.82 mph. The journey took 12 hours, setting off at 07:04 a.m. local time and arriving at the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B at 6:41 p.m. local time.
Undergoing a Wet Dress Rehearsal
Next, the rocket will conduct a so-called “wet” dress rehearsal, where the space agency will test the rocket’s fueling and countdown protocols. This rehearsal will take place no later than February 2, 2026, said a NASA statement.
Afterwards, the rocket will carry a spacecraft containing American astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, around the moon. The mission will be the first crewed mission to the moon since Apollo 17 touched down on the satellite’s surface in December 1972.
Artemis II will not land on the moon, but will prepare the way for a subsequent surface mission, Artemis III, which experts estimate will launch sometime in 2028.
“It really doesn’t get much better than this: we are making history,” said John Honeycutt, the chair of the Artemis II mission management team, in a recent video press conference with NASA.
Artemis II Will Circle the Moon
The Artemis II flight will determine the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft, which NASA hopes will enable future deep space missions. The program’s ultimate goal is to send the first-ever crewed mission to Mars.
After exiting Earth’s atmosphere, the Space Launch System will detach its boosters, service module panels, and launch abort system. The rocket’s upper stage and spacecraft will then spend two days orbiting Earth. This will give the mission ample time to assess the life support system supporting the astronauts while they are still (relatively) close to home.
Next, the spacecraft will propel itself toward the moon with a translunar injection burn, beginning a four-day trip. Once it arrives at the satellite, the mission will have a three-hour window in which to image the far side of the moon. This detailed surface and geology analysis will prepare the way for future landings at the moon’s south pole. The mission will travel over 4,600 miles beyond the moon, allowing them to see the moon with the Earth framing it, nearly 250,000 miles behind. The mission’s return journey will allow the spacecraft to be pulled home by Earth’s gravitational field.
Before this huge journey can begin, the Space Launch System may have more terrestrial trundling ahead of it: NASA has warned that it may have to crawl back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional work if necessary before it finally lifts off.
Read More: Neil deGrasse Tyson Responds to Artemis 2 Announcement
Article Sources
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This article references information from NASA: NASA’s Moonbound Artemis II Rocket Reaches Launch Pad
This article references information from NASA: NASA’s Artemis 2 Rollout & Mission Overview Briefing | Artemis II
This article references information from NASA: Moon Visualizations, Animations, Videos - Artemis II Lunar Science
This article references information from NASA: NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars
