After a hiatus of 52 years, human exploration is set to return to the moon through NASA’s ambitious Artemis program. The upcoming Artemis II mission will see four astronauts – Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen, along with NASA’s Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Victor Glover – orbiting the moon. The launch is currently targeted for no earlier than Feb. 6.
Before the astronauts embark on this historic journey, the rocket and spacecraft must undergo thorough checks. The iconic 100-meter tall Space Launch System (SLS) is set to be rolled out on Saturday.
“These are the moments we eagerly anticipate,” remarked John Honeycutt, chair of the Artemis II mission management team, at a recent press briefing. “This is a significant milestone, and we are truly making history.”
The Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft, which will serve as the astronauts’ living quarters for 10 days, were previously launched for the unmanned Artemis I mission around the moon in 2022. Now, they are set for their first crewed mission with four human occupants.
While the crew will not touch down on the lunar surface, they will engage in lunar observations, experiments, and spacecraft testing to pave the way for Artemis III, where astronauts are slated to walk on the moon, with a launch targeted for no earlier than 2028.
Anticipating the ‘Wet Dress’
The rollout of the SLS on Saturday is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET. However, the journey to the launch pad will be a gradual process lasting between eight to 12 hours for the colossal five million-kilogram rocket.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director of exploration ground systems, mentioned during a recent press briefing that it will take approximately an hour for the rocket to cross the threshold of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).
The crew access arm, through which the astronauts will board the rocket on launch day, will be retracted, a process expected to take around 45 minutes.
Once the rocket reaches the pad, all necessary connections will be established over the following day. Subsequently, the teams will await the wet dress rehearsal, a critical step where the rocket is fueled as on launch day, and all launch preparations are rehearsed. The countdown will halt at T-29 seconds.
<div class="
