NASA’s Artemis II mission is progressing as the integrated Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft prepare for a rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to launch pad 39B. Scheduled for January 17, the rollout will begin at 7 a.m. EST and is expected to take around 12 hours, moving at approximately 1 mile per hour.
Key events include:
- January 16: A mission overview press conference at noon with officials discussing the Artemis II mission.
- January 17: Live feeds during the 7 a.m. rollout and a media event at 9 a.m. featuring NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the crew.
The rollout will utilize NASA’s Crawler Transporter 2, moving the 11 million pound stack a distance of four miles. Media participation in the press conference requires RSVP at least two hours in advance; only pre-qualified media will attend in person.
The upcoming launch window opens as early as February 6, pending assessments of flight readiness. The Artemis program aims to advance lunar exploration and set the stage for human missions to Mars. For updates, follow NASA’s Artemis blog.
For more information about Artemis, visit NASA’s Artemis page.
