Overview
- The agency published 16 opportunities for the first crewed Artemis flight, with the earliest opening on February 6 and additional dates in March and April.
- Each opportunity spans roughly two hours tied to moonrise and shifts about 40 minutes later daily due to Earth’s rotation and the Moon’s orbit.
- Intentional gaps in the sequence reflect eastern range traffic across Kennedy and Cape Canaveral pads as well as time needed to replenish cryogenic propellants and other consumables.
- NASA plans to roll the SLS and Orion to Launch Complex 39B in mid‑January for pad hookups and a wet dress rehearsal that includes full fueling and countdown practice.
- Artemis II will send Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a roughly 10‑day free‑return flyby reaching about 4,700 miles beyond the lunar far side before returning to Earth.