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19h ago

Artemis II Crew Completes Countdown Rehearsal Inside VAB

The run-through ended at a planned T-29 seconds cutoff, positioning NASA to move into termination-system checks, pad rollout and a wet dress rehearsal.

Over the weekend, NASA conducted a dress rehearsal for its scheduled February launch date of its Artemis 2 mission to the Moon.
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A motor coach decorated with an image of the moon is parked outside of a building.

Overview

  • NASA conducted the Countdown Demonstration Test inside the Vehicle Assembly Building with the crew strapped into Orion, stopping the simulated clock at T-29 seconds.
  • Commander Reid Wiseman described the exercise as "extremely successful," noting not everything was perfect as teams validated launch-day procedures.
  • Same-day communications problems delayed the start by about three hours, following earlier postponements that included fixing a thermal-barrier blemish at Orion’s hatch.
  • Next steps are a flight termination system test, a roughly four-mile rollout of the 322-foot SLS/Orion stack to Launch Complex 39B, and a wet dress rehearsal.
  • Launch opportunities begin Feb. 6 with NASA holding a no-later-than April 2026 window, and the tight timeline could prompt a shift into March pending early-year assessments.