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NASA Targets Jan. 17 Rollout for Artemis II, Paving Way for Late‑January Fueling Rehearsal

A full fueling rehearsal will validate countdown operations ahead of a go or no‑go decision for the first crewed SLS/Orion lunar flyby.

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At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
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Overview

  • The fully stacked SLS/Orion remains in the Vehicle Assembly Building with rollout to Launch Complex 39B targeted no earlier than Jan. 17, a four‑mile trip expected to take up to 12 hours.
  • Pre‑rollout closeouts were completed, including replacement and testing of a bent flight‑termination system cable, a verified Jan. 5 fix to Orion’s hatch pressurization valve, and repairs to ground support leaks.
  • Pad work will connect power, environmental control, and cryogenic lines before teams power up integrated systems for checks that precede a late‑January wet dress rehearsal.
  • The wet dress will load more than 700,000 gallons of propellant and run terminal‑count exercises to planned holds near T‑33 and T‑30 seconds, with managers eyeing a Flight Readiness Review if the test succeeds.
  • Launch opportunities open no earlier than Feb. 6 with additional windows in March and early April, while potential issues could prompt rollback as this core stage did not undergo a Stennis Green Run.