NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Astronaut Photos | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Astronaut Photos | Kennedy Space Center

From left to right, Artemis II NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot, and Christina Koch, mission specialist, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist

From left: Artemis II backup crewmembers NASA astronaut Andre Douglas and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jenni Gibbons and prime crewmembers NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronaut Christina Koch, pose for a picture with NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, left, NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, and Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander are seen as members of the media ask questions

NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, second from left, speaks to members of the media alongside fellow crewmates Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, left, and NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, and Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, right, speaks to members of the media

NASA astronaut Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, second from right, speaks to members of the media alongside Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, NASA astronaut Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, speaks to members of the media alongside NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander

Artemis II Mission Emblem

The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026. The astronauts posed for photographs during rollout of NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. 

In the coming weeks, engineers will prepare for the wet dress rehearsal, a two-day test that simulates launch day. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis Program blog: 

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

Image Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky/Kim Shiflett
Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #Launchpad39B #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education

Cave-Training Enables China's Astronauts to Better Endure Extreme Environments

Cave-Training Enables China's Astronauts to Better Endure Extreme Environments

Twenty-eight Chinese astronauts have taken a cave-training mission in deep mountains of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to better endure extreme environments. Divided into four teams, the 28 astronauts were trained on environmental monitoring, cave mapping, simulated space-to-ground communications and team-focused psychological tests.

Each team spent six days and five nights in a natural cave where the average temperature hovered at eight degrees Celsius and humidity reached 99 percent. They were required to explore the cave, conduct scientific research, logistics management and life-support operations.

Along the way they squeezed through ultra-narrow passages, rappelled down sheer walls, endured prolonged cold and dampness, and pushed their physical limits. They also had to conquer the mental pressure stemming from absolute darkness and sensory deprivation.

Song Lingdong, who participated in China's Shenzhou-19 mission, said the harsh environment in the cave training helped them improve their teamwork.

"Throughout our training, although the external environment was quite harsh, it actually stimulated our compatibility as a team, brought us even closer, and made us more passionate in the work. We all wanted to complete the mission soon and do the work well," Song said.

Zhu Yangzhu, a crew member of China's Shenzhou-16 mission, said the extreme quietness in the deep cave feels like being in the space.

"While crawling slowly, I tried to enjoy and savor the pleasure in the process. This way I could offset the difficulties in the psychological environment and the sense of pressure. Later, I even suggested turning off all the lights. Then it was truly pitch-dark, where you couldn't see your fingers. In that state, we could feel our own heartbeat and breath. That allowed one to experience the extreme quietness in the space," he said.

Astronaut Tang Hongbo, who acted as the commander of the Shenzhou-17 mission, served as a team commander again in the cave training.

"This time I was the commander, and encountered many challenges and difficulties. It was all dark underground. It was pitch dark, where you couldn't see your own hands. It was the key challenge to our safety. As a commander, I must be responsible for everyone's safety, I felt immense pressure on me about that," Tang said.

Liu Yang, the first Chinese woman in space who participated in the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-14 missions, said the training was a rewarding experience.

"When we walked out of the cave mouth, it truly felt like the moment our spacecraft's re-entry module lands on the Earth safely, and everyone exits the cabin. We were all excited and thrilled. In our past missions, it was the moment to report back to our motherland that we accomplished the mission. This time, with all our team members safely out, we could report to the training commander our success," she said.

To find a venue that replicates the extremes of space, researchers of the China Astronaut Research and Training Center (CARTC) has scouted more than ten caves across seven provincial-level regions since 2016, including Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Anhui and Chongqing.

Rating each based on the training challenge, geological stability and basic life-safety, they selected the cave deep in the mountains of Wulong District, Chongqing for the training this time.

The CARTC will run the same cave-training mission for astronauts who missed this training, as well as for all new recruits.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 3 minutes, 32 seconds
Release Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Chongqing #重庆 #China #中国 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #CARTC #CaveTraining #JungleTraining #CAVES #Earth #Moon #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Planet Jupiter: Infrared View | James Webb Space Telescope

Planet Jupiter: Infrared View | James Webb Space Telescope

This infrared view of planet Jupiter by the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope is illuminating. High-resolution infrared images of Jupiter from the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) present high-floating bright clouds—including the Great Red Spot—and low-lying dark clouds. Also, clearly visible in this Webb image are Jupiter's dust ring, bright auroras at the poles, and Jupiter's moons Amalthea and Adrastea. Plus, the footprint of large volcanic moon Io's magnetic funneling of charged particles onto Jupiter is visible in the southern aurora. Several objects are so bright that light noticeably diffracts around Webb's optics creating streaks. Webb, orbiting the Sun near the Earth, has a mirror over six meters across making it the largest astronomical telescope ever launched—with over six times more light-collecting area than Hubble.

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jupiter ERS Team

Processing: Ricardo Hueso (UPV/EHU) & Judy Schmidt

Jupiter ERS Team website: 

https://www.stsci.edu/jwst/science-execution/approved-programs/dd-ers/program-1373

Ricardo's website: 

https://www.ehu.eus/es/web/doktoregoa/doctorado-fisica/profesorado?p_redirect=fichaPDI&p_idp=195381

Release Date: Jan. 18, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Jupiter #Atmosphere #Aurorae #Moons #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAWebb #JWST #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #JudySchmidt #UnitedStates #Europe #ESA #Canada #CSA #STEM #Education #APoD

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rolls to Launchpad | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rolls to Launchpad | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen before their arrival at Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) under a collaborative partnership with Boeing, built the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) upper stage of the SLS rocket. 

The massive crawler kept the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. The stack will now be secured, ground support systems will be connected, and teams will conduct a full wet dress rehearsal at the end of January to practice fueling and countdown procedures in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

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

Image Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)
Image Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #ULA #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #Launchpad39B #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Aurora Borealis over Finland

Aurora Borealis over Finland

On Earth, auroras are mainly created by particles originally emitted by the Sun in the form of solar wind. When this stream of electrically charged particles gets close to our planet, it interacts with the magnetic field that acts as a gigantic shield. While it protects Earth’s environment from solar wind particles, it can also trap a small fraction of them. Particles trapped within the magnetosphere—the region of space surrounding Earth where charged particles are affected by its magnetic field—can be energized and then follow the magnetic field lines down to the magnetic poles. There, they interact with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper layers of the atmosphere, creating the flickering, colorful lights visible in the polar regions here on Earth.

Earth auroras have different names depending on the pole they occur at. Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, is the name given to auroras around the north pole and Aurora Australis, or the southern lights, is the name given for auroras around the south pole.

The Colors of the Aurora (U.S. National Park Service)

https://www.nps.gov/articles/-articles-aps-v8-i1-c9.htm

Lapland is the largest and northernmost region of Finland, officially the Republic of Finland. Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, opposite Estonia.

Image Credit: Gianni Carcano 

Image Details: Canon 5D, 14mm f2.8 2.5” 3200 ISO
Location: Lapland, Finland
Release Date: Jan. 11, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #SolarSystem #Sun #Astrophotography #Astrophotographer #GianniCarcano #Lapland #Lappi #Finland #Suomen #Norge #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Preflight at Launchpad 39B | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Preflight at Launchpad 39B | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen after their arrival at Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The massive crawler kept the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. The stack will now be secured, ground support systems will be connected, and teams will conduct a full wet dress rehearsal at the end of January to practice fueling and countdown procedures in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

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

Image Credits: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Keegan Barber/Joel Kowsky
Image Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #Launchpad39B #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Arrival at Launchpad 39B | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Arrival at Launchpad 39B | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they arrive at Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they make the 4.2 mile journey toward Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they arrive at Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The massive crawler kept the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. Once at the pad, the stack will be secured, ground support systems will be connected, and teams will conduct a full wet dress rehearsal at the end of January to practice fueling and countdown procedures in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

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

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Keegan Barber
Image Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #Launchpad39B #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-20 Astronauts Discuss Spacecraft Window Crack | China Space Station

Shenzhou-20 Astronauts Discuss Spacecraft Window Crack | China Space Station

The crew of China's Shenzhou-20 mission on January 16, 2026, shared details of how they calmly and methodically responded to a spacecraft window crack suspected to be caused by space debris, highlighting close coordination between the astronauts in orbit and the teams on the ground.

The trio—Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie—met the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance after returning to Earth in November.

Among the topics of greatest concern to reporters was an incident that occurred shortly before the Shenzhou-20 crew was preparing to return, when a crack was discovered on a window of the return capsule, believed to have been caused by a possible impact from space debris.

"We took photographs right away and recorded the situation, and immediately transmitted the data back to the ground. Based on my visual observation, I initially judged that the crack was on the outermost layer of the spacecraft window. The crack had penetrated that outer layer, but it did not affect the safety of our continued stay in orbit. Afterwards, the two crews, six astronauts in total, carefully observed and discussed the condition of the window together, and fully cooperated with the ground teams to carry out rechecks and confirmation," said Shenzhou-20 mission commander Chen Dong.

"When we learned of the situation, we had discussions and reached a common understanding. At the same time, the ground teams communicated with us promptly, and we soon calmed down. This was because we had undergone solid emergency response training on the ground, and we had been emotionally and psychologically prepared," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who made his first spaceflight during the mission.

"At the moment we discovered the potential danger, I felt nervous for a short while, but quickly got my mind right. I immediately followed our assigned roles and started to recheck the window's condition and inspect the safety of the cabin. The six of us worked in coordination and successfully completed the transfer tasks. I was deeply impressed, becoming fully aware of the powerful strength of teamwork. I therefore feel a deeper reverence and love for this profession," said Wang Jie, who also made his debut spaceflight.

Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total of 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.

Shenzhou-20 Crew

Chen Dong (陈冬) - Commander - Third spaceflight

Chen Zhong Rui (陈中瑞) - Operator - First spaceflight

Wang Jie (王杰) - Flight Engineer - First spaceflight

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 46 seconds
Release Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Earth #Shenzhou20Mission #神舟二十号 #Shenzhou20Crew #CrewSafety #SpaceDebris #Taikonauts #ChenDong #ChenZhongrui #WangJie #Astronauts #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout: The Starting Line | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout: The Starting Line | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 carrying the agency’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, begins rolling out from High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

This is a multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2, at a careful speed of roughly 1 mile per hour, will take up to 12 hours. The massive crawler keeps the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. Once at the pad, the stack will be secured, ground support systems will be connected, and teams will conduct a full wet dress rehearsal at the end of January to practice fueling and countdown procedures in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

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

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Keegan Barber
Image Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout in Progress | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout in Progress | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they make the 4.2 mile journey toward Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A worker is seen around crawler-transporter 2 as NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher.

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they make the 4.2 mile journey toward Launch Pad 39B, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 carrying the agency’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, begins rolling out from High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

This is a multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2, at a careful speed of roughly 1 mile per hour, will take up to 12 hours. The massive crawler keeps the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. Once at the pad, the stack will be secured, ground support systems will be connected, and teams will conduct a full wet dress rehearsal at the end of January to practice fueling and countdown procedures in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

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

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Keegan Barber
Image Date: Jan. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout Begins: The Crew is Ready | Kennedy Space Center

Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout Begins: The Crew is Ready | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman: "Wow. LETS GO!!!"

NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 carrying the agency’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, begins rolling out from High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. The Artemis II test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

This is a multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2, at a careful speed of roughly 1 mile per hour, will take up to 12 hours. The massive crawler keeps the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. Once at the pad, the stack will be secured, ground support systems will be connected, and teams will conduct a full wet dress rehearsal at the end of January to practice fueling and countdown procedures in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

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

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/R. Wiseman
Image Dates: Jan. 15-17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #ReidWiseman #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education