On Saturday, January 17, NASA took a major step forward for the Artemis program, as the rocket that will carry the Artemis 2 crew around the Moon successfully arrived at the launch pad. The move of the Space Launch System (SLS) to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center marks the mission’s entry into the home stretch, with launch expected to take place in the coming weeks.
From VAB to the platform: A 12-hour journey
The SLS rocket departed the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) early this morning, beginning a slow but impressive 4 miles (6.4 km) journey. Traveling at less than 1 mile (1.6 km) per hour and atop the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP), it took nearly 12 hours to reach the launch pad, where it landed late that afternoon.
It is worth noting that this was the first time that the rocket for the Artemis 2 mission came out of the VAB fully assembled, after a year and a half of intensive work and checks by NASA engineering teams.
See also: NASA completes its powerful new Roman telescope
An unprecedented technological "beast"
Standing 98 meters tall and weighing 2,870 tons when fully loaded, the SLS is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built. It features two massive solid rocket boosters (SRBs) and four RS-25 engines.
Combined, the system delivers 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, sufficient to carry the Orion spacecraft and the rocket's upper stages into orbit around Earth and then on to the Moon.
What comes before launch?
In the coming weeks, NASA will conduct a series of critical checks, completing final system integrations and vehicle testing. A so-called “wet dress rehearsal,” a full fueled countdown simulation, is scheduled for Feb. 2.
Assuming everything goes smoothly, February 6th is the most likely launch date. Alternatives include February 11th, while there is a possibility of a delay and we have to wait until March or even April.
See also: Mars was once blue – New evidence for a lost ocean
The crew and the mission around the Moon
The Artemis 2 mission will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a journey lasting about 10 days. It is the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft and the second mission of the Artemis program, following the successful but challenging Artemis 1 in 2022.
The mission does not include a lunar landing. Instead, Orion will follow a “free return” trajectory, which ensures that the crew can return to Earth even in the event of a serious technical problem.
Preparing for the next big step
Beyond its historical significance, Artemis 2 is a critical testbed for life support and navigation systems Orion's. Its success is a prerequisite for Artemis 3, the mission that aims to return humans to the Moon's surface and pave the way for a permanent presence in its south polar region.
See also: Unusual 'flatfoot galaxies' disrupt galaxy birth
Crew members are training intensively at the Kennedy Center and were present at the launch site to watch the rocket take position — a moment that brings humanity one step closer to the new era of lunar exploration.
