NASA’s Rocket Rolls To Launch Pad As Countdown Begins For First Crewed Moon Mission In 50 Years

Last Updated:January 18, 2026, 17:39 IST

The rollout, which took up to 12 hours, saw the massive orange-and-white rocket slowly transported from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft makes its way to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (AFP photo)

NASA on Saturday moved its giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the launch pad, marking a major step towards its first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.

The rollout, which took up to 12 hours, saw the massive orange-and-white rocket slowly transported from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The move allows NASA to begin a series of final tests ahead of the Artemis II mission.

If all checks are completed successfully, Artemis II could lift off as early as 6 February. The mission would carry three American astronauts and one Canadian on a journey around the Moon. The crew will not land on the lunar surface but will fly around it before returning to Earth. The mission is expected to last about 10 days.

“We’re making history," said John Honeycutt, chair of the Artemis II mission management team.

Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch from the United States, along with Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, were present to watch the rollout.

Hansen said he was excited to see the rocket at the pad, adding that the mission would show what humans can achieve in space. Glover said the team was aiming high and pushing the limits of what is possible.

Engineers will now carry out a series of tests to make sure the rocket and spacecraft are safe and ready for flight. These include system checks and a full pre-launch simulation.

The Artemis II mission follows the uncrewed Artemis I flight in November 2022, which faced several delays before finally launching successfully.

NASA aims to return astronauts to the Moon as part of a wider plan that could also support future missions to Mars. The programme comes as China presses ahead with its own lunar ambitions, including plans for a crewed Moon mission by 2030.

Despite recent progress, the Artemis programme has faced repeated delays. Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon, is currently planned for 2027 but could be pushed back further due to development challenges with key equipment.

(With inputs from AFP)

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