Overview
- The Dec. 20 demonstration at Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building walked through the final 5.5 hours of launch day and concluded about 30 seconds before liftoff.
- This was the first end‑to‑end countdown with astronauts strapped into Orion in launch configuration, exercising teams in real operations.
- Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen boarded Orion, which the crew has named Integrity.
- A dedicated closeout crew led by Taylor Hose handled suit hookups, seat strapping, and hatch closure, with support from Andre Douglas, Bill Owens, Christian Warriner, and Ricky Ebaugh.
- Next steps include a flight termination system check, rollout to Launch Complex 39B, a wet dress rehearsal and emergency egress testing, with NASA targeting a February–April 2026 launch window no later than April.