Overview
- NASA moved the SLS-Orion stack from the assembly building to Launch Complex 39B on January 17 for final ground testing.
- The first launch window opens on February 6 with additional opportunities in February, March and April, and the mission is planned to last about ten days.
- Artemis-2 is a crewed systems test without a lunar landing, aiming for a distant pass about 7,500 kilometers beyond the Moon’s far side before returning to Earth.
- The crew comprises Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, with ESA supplying Orion’s European Service Module.
- A full propellant loading rehearsal later in January could prompt a rollback if issues arise, underscoring ongoing schedule risks and cost scrutiny for the Artemis program.