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Artemis II Reaches Pad 39B as NASA Sets Feb. 2 Rehearsal, Eyes Feb. 6 Earliest Launch Window

A wet dress rehearsal on Feb. 2 will be the key readiness test before the crewed lunar flyby.

Overview

  • NASA rolled the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Complex 39B and has begun integrated pad preparations.
  • Teams plan a Feb. 2 wet dress rehearsal to load cryogenic propellants and run a full countdown, with the option to repeat the test or roll back if issues arise.
  • The first launch window opens Feb. 6, with additional opportunities expected in March and April if the early February dates are not met.
  • The crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—will fly a roughly 10-day figure-eight trajectory around the Moon without landing.
  • NASA’s “Send Your Name” campaign closes Jan. 21, placing submitted names on an SD card inside Orion and providing digital boarding passes to participants.