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Artemis II Reaches Pad 39B as NASA Begins Final Tests for First Crewed Moon Flyby in 50 Years

A wet dress rehearsal in the coming days will determine whether an early‑February launch proceeds.

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The Orion crew capsule exits the vehicle assembly building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., January 17, 2026. Launch around the moon and back is scheduled for no earlier than February 6, 2026. REUTERS/Joe Skipper
NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System 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.

Overview

  • The fully stacked 322‑foot Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft completed a roughly 4‑mile rollout to Launch Pad 39B, and teams are connecting power, communications and cryogenic lines for integrated checks.
  • A full propellant loading and countdown simulation no later than Feb. 2 will set the schedule for launch opportunities Feb. 6–11 or shift the mission to March or April windows, following hardware and procedure updates after Artemis I fueling leaks.
  • The approximately 10‑day mission will send Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a free‑return trajectory around the Moon without a landing.
  • Engineers will use the flight to validate Orion’s life‑support, communications, navigation and propulsion systems before a Pacific Ocean splashdown and recovery by the U.S. Navy.
  • NASA is also preparing to advance the Crew‑12 station flight after Crew‑11 returned early for a medical issue, and any overlap with Artemis II will be deconflicted based on resources and test outcomes.