The NASA giant new moon rocket is finally on the pad. On Saturday, the 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System (SLS) completed its slow trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building. This move signals the final preparations for the first astronaut lunar fly-around in more than 50 years.
The mission could blast off as early as February. If successful, it will be a historic leap for the Artemis program.
The journey to the pad was slow and steady. The rocket began its 4-mile (6-kilometre) creep at daybreak and did not arrive until nightfall. It travelled aboard a massive transporter originally built for the Apollo and shuttle eras. Engineers upgraded the transporter to handle the SLS rocket’s 11 million-pound (5 million-kilogram) weight.
Moving at a top speed of just 1 mph (1.6 kph), the rocket drew a crowd. Thousands of space centre workers and their families gathered in the predawn chill. NASA’s new administrator, Jared Isaacman, led the cheering crowd alongside the four-person crew. Crew Commander Reid Wiseman said:
What a great day to be here.
It is awe-inspiring.
This mission differs significantly from the uncrewed test in November 2022. This time, lives are on board. The four astronauts will embark on a 10-day out-and-back mission. They will not orbit or land on the moon. That milestone is reserved for the third Artemis flight years from now.
The crew includes:
Hansen is a former fighter pilot awaiting his first rocket ride. The others are longtime NASA veterans. Together, they will be the first people to fly to the moon since Apollo 17’s Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in 1972.
NASA is eyeing a launch in the first half of February. However, the window is tight. The agency has only five days to launch before the schedule slips into March.
Before confirming a date, engineers must conduct a fueling test on the pad in early February. Administrator Isaacman told reporters that until the fueling demo is complete:
We’ve, I think, zero intention of communicating an actual launch date.
Delays have plagued the program for years. Extensive analysis was required after the initial test flight revealed heat shield damage and other capsule problems. Now, the team is ready. As Wiseman noted, the crew is “fired up” to see humans discovering the unknown once again.