Artemis II preparations begin as NASA readies for lunar flyby

NASA is entering final preparations for Artemis II, rolling the Space Launch System and Orion to Launch Pad 39B and completing integration and tests ahead of a planned February–April circumlunar flight.

NASA is completing final preparations for the Artemis II mission, its first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years. Teams are rolling the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion crew vehicle to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center and will complete final integration, testing, and launch rehearsals. The mission will be a 10-day circumlunar flight that does not include a lunar landing. The launch window currently runs between February and April. Key facts: - Rollout to the pad is targeted no earlier than Jan. 17 and can take up to 12 hours to move the vehicle and crawler from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B (about 6.5 km). - The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist). - Engineers replaced a valve tied to Orion hatch pressurization on Jan. 5 after a December test issue; the replacement was followed by a successful pressure test, and teams also resolved a ground-support leak in the oxygen loading system. - Ground crews will connect electrical lines, fuel-control ducts, cryogenic propellant feeds, and other ground-support equipment, then power up integrated systems for joint testing with the mobile launcher and pad infrastructure. - A prelaunch fuel test (wet dress rehearsal) is scheduled at the end of January and will include loading about 2.65 million liters (700,000 US gallons) of cryogenic fuel; additional rehearsals or a rollback to the VAB remain possible before final approval. Summary: The current work is focused on validating the rocket, spacecraft, and ground systems ahead of a 10-day circumlunar mission. Next steps include the wet dress rehearsal, any additional rehearsals or work if needed, a flight readiness review, and a final astronaut walkdown before a firm launch date is set.