Nasa’s colossal Moon rocket reaches launch pad for Artemis II mission

Nasa’s colossal rocket has successfully reached the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, initiating the concluding preparations for the first crewed Moon mission in over half a century.

The 98m-high Space Launch System was transported vertically over nearly 12 hours, making its way from the Vehicle Assembly Building over a distance of 4 miles (6.5km) to the launch pad.

With its placement now finalized, the team will conduct final tests, inspections, and a dress rehearsal before approving the 10-day Artemis II mission, which will feature four astronauts orbiting the Moon.

According to Nasa, the earliest opportunity for launch is 6 February, with additional launch windows available later that month, along with options in March and April.

The rocket’s movement began at 07:04 local time (12:04 GMT) and it arrived at Launch Pad 39B located at the Kennedy Space Center by 18:41 local time (23:42 GMT).

It was transported by a large machine known as a crawler-transporter, moving at a maximum speed of 0.82 mph (1.3 km/h) during its slow journey. Live broadcasts documented the gradual event.

Nasa indicated that the rocket will undergo preparation in the upcoming days for what they refer to as a “wet dress rehearsal”—a test focusing on fuel operations and countdown protocols.

The Artemis II crew—Nasa’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—were present at the Kennedy Space Center observing the rocket’s movement.

In a matter of weeks, these four astronauts will be secured in a spacecraft positioned atop the rocket, poised for departure to the Moon.

This mission marks the first crewed journey to the Moon since Apollo 17 landed there in December 1972.

Nasa has stated that this mission could enable its astronauts to explore further into space than any human has ventured before.

Though Artemis II is not set to land on the Moon, it will pave the way for a future lunar landing that will be led by the Artemis III mission.

Nasa mentioned that the launch of Artemis III is planned for “no earlier than” 2027, with experts speculating that 2028 may be the soonest date.

Koch expressed her exhilaration at witnessing the rocket.

“Astronauts are the most composed individuals on launch day, and I think… it feels this way because we are simply so prepared to accomplish the mission we are here for, that we have trained for,” she remarked.

Hansen conveyed his hope that the mission would motivate the global community.

“The Moon is something I have taken for granted. I’ve gazed at it my entire life, but then you tend to just glance at it and move on,” he mentioned.

“However, I find myself observing it much more now, and I believe others will join us in gazing at the Moon more frequently as humans will be flying around the far side, which is beneficial for humanity.”

The first two days of the Artemis II mission will be spent orbiting the Earth before making its way to the Moon.

“We’re going to enter an orbit almost immediately that takes us 40,000 miles out—about a fifth of the way to the Moon,” Koch told BBC News.

“The Earth will be visible through the window as a single spherical object, a view none of us have experienced from that angle.

“Then we will journey a quarter of a million miles away… we will conduct ample science and operations throughout the trip.”

While passing around the far side of the Moon, the crew will dedicate three hours to lunar observation—looking, taking images, and examining its geology to assist in planning and preparing for a future landing at the Moon’s south pole.

An essential component of the Orion spacecraft that the astronauts will use was produced in Bremen, Germany.

The European Service Module, which is located behind the crew capsule, represents the European Space Agency’s contribution to the mission and has been constructed by Airbus.

“The European Service Module is crucial; we essentially can’t reach the Moon without it,” states Sian Cleaver, a spacecraft engineer at Airbus.

“It supplies the propulsion needed for Orion to get us to the Moon.”

Its extensive solar panels will generate all the electrical energy required for the craft, she notes.

“We’ve also integrated significant tanks filled with oxygen and nitrogen, which are blended to produce air, along with water, in order to provide everything the astronauts need in the crew module to sustain them during their journey.”

Within their cleanroom, the engineering team is diligently assembling additional modules for prospective Artemis missions. Each module requires approximately 18 months to construct, having demanded extensive engineering hours for design. Every component onboard must function flawlessly.

“We need to ensure the astronauts safely reach the Moon and return,” states Cleaver.

With the rocket now situated on launchpad 39B, the Artemis team is working tirelessly to prepare it for takeoff.

The mission has already encountered several years of postponements, and Nasa is under considerable pressure to send the astronauts on their journey promptly. Nevertheless, the US space agency has emphasized that it will not compromise on safety.

John Honeycutt, the head of the Artemis mission management team, remarked: “My sole responsibility is the safe return of Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy.

“We will launch when we are ready… the safety of the crew is our top priority.”