Nasa moon rocket creeps to its launch pad in preparation for astronaut flight

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, carrying the Orion crew capsule, was transported to its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for the Artemis II mission, a lunar fly-around with astronauts. The 98-meter rocket's 4-mile journey from the vehicle assembly building took place over several hours, witnessed by space center workers, their families, and NASA officials. This mission, potentially launching in February, will be the first crewed flight to the moon since 1972, with astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. The Artemis II mission follows a 2022 test flight and aims to send the crew on a 10-day journey around the moon without landing, paving the way for future lunar landings.

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) Moon rocket and Orion Space Capsule were transported from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to a launch pad on Saturday. The 4-mile journey took approximately 12 hours, with the rocket moving at a speed of 0.82 mph. This move prepares the rocket for the Artemis II mission, currently scheduled to launch no earlier than February 6. The 10-day mission will carry four astronauts further into space than ever before. Artemis II aims to pave the way for a future human landing on the Moon, the first since 1972.

NASA is preparing its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida as early as February 6. This mission will send four astronauts, including the first woman and person of color to travel beyond low Earth orbit, on a 685,000-mile journey around the moon and back. The 10-day flight will test the Orion capsule's life support and communication systems, paving the way for future lunar landings. Artemis II marks the second test flight of the SLS rocket and the first with a crew, aiming to continue lunar exploration and potentially compete with China's space program. The mission is a significant step towards sustained human and robotic exploration of the moon and eventually Mars.