NASA's new moon rocket moves to the pad ahead of a possible February crew flight

NASA rolled its 322-foot Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad as crews prepare for a 10-day crewed lunar fly-around that could lift off as early as February pending a pad fueling test.

NASA moved its new Space Launch System rocket to the launch pad on Saturday as teams prepare for the first crewed lunar fly-around in more than 50 years. The 322-foot (98-meter) vehicle left Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building at about 1 mph and completed a four-mile transfer that could take hours. Thousands of space center staff and family members watched the rollout, joined by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the four astronauts assigned to the mission. The flight was delayed previously after heat shield damage and other capsule issues were identified during the 2022 uncrewed test. Key facts: - The rocket and Orion crew capsule weigh about 11 million pounds (5 million kilograms) and moved on an upgraded historic transporter. - The first SLS launch in November 2022 sent an empty Orion around the moon; this upcoming flight will carry crew on a 10-day out-and-back lunar fly-around. - Assigned crew are Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. - NASA plans a fueling test on the pad in early February; results of that test will determine the path to a launch date. - The agency has a five-day launch window in the first half of February before the schedule moves into March. Summary: This rollout is a visible milestone as NASA prepares for a crewed lunar fly-around that would be the first human voyage near the moon since 1972. The next key event is a pad fueling demonstration in early February, and a final launch date will depend on how that test proceeds.