NASA has successfully moved its massive 32-story-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the launch pad in Florida, setting the stage for a February flight that will take four astronauts on a historic trip around the moon.
The SLS, which boasts an impressive 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, is the most powerful operational booster in the world and has been hailed as "engineering art" by one of its astronauts, Reid Wiseman. The rocket's second flight, dubbed Artemis II, will be a critical test of its capabilities and pave the way for future lunar missions.
After months of preparation, the SLS was hauled to launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday morning, marking the culmination of a long and complex process. The journey took about eight hours, during which time the rocket slowly rolled out of NASA's cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building.
Hundreds of space center workers, family members, and guests gathered to witness the milestone, with some even taking selfies with the towering moon rocket as it passed by. New NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the Artemis II astronauts were also on hand to watch the spectacle.
The SLS has undergone significant upgrades and procedural changes since its maiden flight in 2022, which was delayed multiple times due to propellant loading problems and persistent hydrogen leaks. This time around, NASA is confident that the rocket's systems will be tested and proven reliable.
A critical fueling test is scheduled for early February, during which nearly 800,000 gallons of super cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen will be pumped aboard for a "wet" dress rehearsal countdown. If successful, this will clear the way for a launch attempt on one or two of the remaining available launch windows in February.
However, NASA's plans are still subject to change, with a wild card in the mission planning being the launch of a fresh crew to the International Space Station to replace four crew members who returned to Earth ahead of schedule. If problems arise during the SLS fueling test or if the space station crew replacement flight is delayed, agency managers might be forced to delay the Artemis II launch to the next set of opportunities in March.
For now, NASA's options remain open, and Administrator Jared Isaacman has stated that there will be no premature communication of a launch date until after the fueling test. If everything goes according to plan, however, it would mark a significant step forward for the agency's ambitious Artemis program and pave the way for future human missions to the lunar surface.
The SLS, which boasts an impressive 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, is the most powerful operational booster in the world and has been hailed as "engineering art" by one of its astronauts, Reid Wiseman. The rocket's second flight, dubbed Artemis II, will be a critical test of its capabilities and pave the way for future lunar missions.
After months of preparation, the SLS was hauled to launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday morning, marking the culmination of a long and complex process. The journey took about eight hours, during which time the rocket slowly rolled out of NASA's cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building.
Hundreds of space center workers, family members, and guests gathered to witness the milestone, with some even taking selfies with the towering moon rocket as it passed by. New NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the Artemis II astronauts were also on hand to watch the spectacle.
The SLS has undergone significant upgrades and procedural changes since its maiden flight in 2022, which was delayed multiple times due to propellant loading problems and persistent hydrogen leaks. This time around, NASA is confident that the rocket's systems will be tested and proven reliable.
A critical fueling test is scheduled for early February, during which nearly 800,000 gallons of super cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen will be pumped aboard for a "wet" dress rehearsal countdown. If successful, this will clear the way for a launch attempt on one or two of the remaining available launch windows in February.
However, NASA's plans are still subject to change, with a wild card in the mission planning being the launch of a fresh crew to the International Space Station to replace four crew members who returned to Earth ahead of schedule. If problems arise during the SLS fueling test or if the space station crew replacement flight is delayed, agency managers might be forced to delay the Artemis II launch to the next set of opportunities in March.
For now, NASA's options remain open, and Administrator Jared Isaacman has stated that there will be no premature communication of a launch date until after the fueling test. If everything goes according to plan, however, it would mark a significant step forward for the agency's ambitious Artemis program and pave the way for future human missions to the lunar surface.
can you believe this? nasa is really doing it! 
they're finally moving forward with their moon mission and it's gonna be huge 
i mean, think about it, we'll have ppl walking on the moon again in like 2 months 
that's so cool!!! 
and the fact that this rocket is so powerful, i mean 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff? 
that's insane! 
. But seriously, it's awesome that NASA has made this much progress, especially after all the setbacks and delays they faced.
. Fingers crossed for a successful fueling test and launch 
it's a whole different perspective. And the thought of all them astronauts flyin' around the moon, it's just mind-blowin' 
or is it about somethin' more? Is it about pushin' human knowledge forward, explorin' the unknown, and seein' what's out there waiting for us? That's what I'm wonderin', anyway... 
. It's been a long road for them, but it looks like they've made some major upgrades and are ready to rock. The fact that they're planning to take four astronauts on a historic trip around the moon in Feb is mind-blowing 
?? that's even colder than my freezer at home lol! anyway back to this sls rocket thingy... i feel so bad for nasa they've had so many delays but i guess it's all worth it if we get to go back to the moon 
like whoa 32 stories tall?! and 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff? that's insane 
and if they do, it'll be amazing to have this rocket back up and running 