The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began moving its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida early Friday, setting the stage for a planned launch on April 1. The 4-mile journey, which commenced around 12:20 a.m. EDT, was delayed by high winds but expected to conclude by noon, according to NASA.
The rollout follows the completion of repairs related to a helium flow issue detected late last month, which necessitated a return to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Prior to that setback, a liquid hydrogen leak had also interrupted preparations for the mission. NASA managers have expressed confidence that these issues have been resolved and that the next propellant loading will be for launch.
The Artemis II mission will carry four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen – on a 10-day flight to orbit the moon and return to Earth. The crew entered pre-flight medical quarantine on Wednesday in Houston, and are scheduled to arrive at the Kennedy Space Center a week from Friday. If all proceeds as planned, liftoff is targeted for 6:24 p.m. On April 1, within a two-hour launch window.
This mission represents the first crewed flight test of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, following an unpiloted test flight in 2022. Artemis II aims to validate the systems necessary for future lunar landings, a long-term goal initially outlined by President Donald Trump. The flight will mark the first time humans have flown beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo program.
The immense orange-and-white SLS rocket and Orion capsule were slowly wheeled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building atop a crawler-transporter, a process that can take up to 12 hours. Once at the launch pad, engineers will connect fuel lines, power, and data cables, and conduct a series of tests to ensure all systems are functioning correctly.
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