NASA's Artemis II Moon Rocket Launch Preparations | Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Artemis II Moon Rocket Launch Preparations | Kennedy Space Center

The Moon is calling! 🚀 Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, retractable platforms are being pulled away from the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion crew spacecraft, marking a major milestone on the road to launch.

Artemis II is one step closer to liftoff . . .

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day mission around the Moon and back in early 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.

Ahead of rolling out the integrated SLS rocket to the launch pad, teams will be conducting a series of verification tests. 

Launch is currently scheduled for "no later than April 2026."

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Learn more about NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: nasa.gov/sls

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Release Date: Dec. 30, 2026

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