NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft reached Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 17, 2026, after a nearly 12-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. The milestone brings NASA one step closer to sending astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than half a century, with launch targeted for no earlier than February 6, 2026.
The historic mission will carry a crew of four astronauts on a roughly 10-day journey around the moon. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch from NASA will be joined by Canadian Space Agency mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. The crew composition itself is historic, as Glover would become the first person of color, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American to travel to the moon.
In the coming days, engineers and technicians at Kennedy Space Center will prepare the rocket for a wet dress rehearsal, targeted for no later than February 2, which will test fueling operations and countdown procedures. This critical test will ensure all systems are functioning properly before the actual launch attempt. The Artemis II crew will travel beyond the far side of the moon during their mission, potentially setting a new record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth, surpassing the current record held by Apollo 13.
Artemis II represents a crucial stepping stone in NASA's ambitious lunar exploration program. The mission is intended to pave the way for Artemis III in 2027, which is expected to land four astronauts near the moon's south pole. This would mark humanity's first lunar surface landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972, when astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt became the last humans to walk on the moon.
The successful rollout of the Artemis II stack to the launch pad demonstrates the progress NASA has made in returning humans to deep space. The Space Launch System is the most powerful rocket ever built, designed to carry crew and cargo beyond low Earth orbit. The Orion spacecraft, meanwhile, has been specifically engineered to support astronauts during extended missions in the harsh environment of deep space, featuring advanced life support systems and radiation protection.