NASA is entering the final stages of preparations for its first crewed Artemis Moon mission, Artemis II, with plans to roll the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B in Florida as early as January 17. The move marks the beginning of final integration, testing, and launch rehearsals. The four-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building on the crawler-transporter-2 is expected to take up to 12 hours. NASA teams are working around the clock to complete all technical checks ahead of rollout, though the schedule is subject to change depending on weather or additional preparations.

“We are moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “We have important steps remaining on our path to launch, and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity’s return to the Moon.”