NASA Completes Key Rocket Assembly for Artemis II Lunar Mission

The Space Launch System core stage has been integrated with its solid rocket boosters, advancing preparations for the first crewed Artemis mission targeting a February 2026 launch.

• NASA successfully mated the Space Launch System (SLS) core stage with its solid rocket boosters at Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building on March 23, 2025.
• This marks a major milestone for Artemis II, which will send four astronauts on a 10-day lunar flyby to test systems for future deep space missions.
• The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
• The Orion spacecraft, currently undergoing final testing, is scheduled to be stacked with the rocket by late April or early May 2025.
• Persistent heat shield issues on the Orion spacecraft remain a challenge, with NASA targeting no earlier than February 2026 for the Artemis II launch.

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