{"id":400982,"date":"2026-01-11T11:52:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T11:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/400982\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T11:52:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T11:52:08","slug":"just-around-the-corner-nasa-prepares-artemis-ii-for-rollout-to-launch-pad-at-kennedy-space-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/400982\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Just around the corner:\u2019 NASA prepares Artemis II for rollout to launch pad at Kennedy Space Center"},"content":{"rendered":"

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. \u2013 NASA announced it is preparing to roll out the Artemis<\/a> II rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center no earlier than Jan. 17, marking a major milestone toward the first crewed mission of the Artemis program.<\/p>\n

The four\u2011mile move, carried by crawler\u2011transporter\u20112, is expected to take up to 12 hours as teams begin final integration, testing and launch rehearsals. NASA said crews have been working around the clock to close out remaining tasks ahead of rollout, though the date could shift if additional technical work or weather delays arise.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are moving closer to Artemis II<\/a>, with rollout just around the corner,\u201d said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA\u2019s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. \u201cWe have important steps remaining on our path to launch and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity\u2019s return to the Moon.\u201d<\/p>\n

[VIDEO: Here\u2019s what could make 2026 the biggest year ever in space]<\/p>\n

As engineers worked to troubleshoot several issues in recent weeks, technicians replaced a bent cable tied to the flight termination system and resolved a valve problem associated with Orion\u2019s hatch pressurization. Teams also addressed leaky ground support hardware used to load gaseous oxygen into Orion.<\/p>\n

Once the SLS and Orion reach the pad, NASA will begin connecting ground support equipment, powering up integrated systems and verifying that flight hardware, the mobile launcher and pad infrastructure operate together as designed. The Artemis II crew \u2014 NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen \u2014 will conduct a final walkdown at the pad.<\/p>\n

[VIDEO: NASA announces 4 astronauts in Artemis II moon mission]<\/p>\n

NASA plans a wet dress rehearsal at the end of January, during which teams will load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant into the rocket and run through multiple countdown sequences. The test will include several holds and recycles in the final minutes of the countdown to validate launch procedures and updated protocols developed after challenges during Artemis I.<\/p>\n

NASA is planning on rolling out the Artemis II rocket and spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at @NASAKennedy<\/a> no earlier than Jan. 17. The four-mile journey will take up to 12 hours. pic.twitter.com\/U4sAPzG5tJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NASA (@NASA) January 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Following the rehearsal, NASA will convene a flight readiness review before selecting a launch date. The earliest launch window opens Feb. 6, with additional opportunities through mid\u2011April based on orbital mechanics, lighting constraints and mission requirements.<\/p>\n

Artemis II will send astronauts on a roughly 10\u2011day flight around the moon, the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years and a key step toward establishing a sustained human presence on the lunar surface.<\/p>\n

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