Overview

• Officials said the crewed Artemis II test flight could launch as early as February 5, 2026, with a window extending to April.
• The SLS rocket has been declared ready with boosters attached, while Orion is in final processing before stacking on the vehicle.
• Remaining prelaunch steps include cubesat installation on the stage adapter, full stacking, rollout, and a wet dress rehearsal on the pad.
• Investigations continue into Artemis I findings, including heat-shield char loss and issues with batteries and ventilation/temperature-control components.
• The roughly 10-day free-return mission will fly Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen around the Moon to validate Orion’s systems for later landing efforts.