NASA will quickly run a top‑stakes fueling take a look at on its Artemis II rocket, a tradition run that should prevail prior to 4 astronauts can fly across the moon.
The U.S. space company inched the 11 million-pound Space Launch System and cellular launcher to a Cape Canaveral, Florida, launchpad on Saturday, Jan. 17. The sluggish procession of the 322-foot rocket, crowned with the Orion spaceship, took 12 hours at the getting older crawler-transporter to finish.
That four-mile trek may just mark the primary leg of Artemis II, a 10-day adventure across the moon and again that can put the spaceship via its paces. The lunar challenge will probably be NASA’s first with astronauts —Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen — in 53 years since Apollo 17.
The so-called “rainy get dressed practice session” will load the mega moon rocket with 700,000 gallons of extremely‑chilly liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants and take the countdown all of the method to 29 seconds prior to liftoff. How this take a look at is going will form the flight timeline and decide whether or not release alternatives in February stay in play.
“We wish to get via rainy get dressed, we wish to see what classes we be informed on account of that, and that can in the long run lay out our trail towards release,” Artemis Release Director Charlie Blackwell‑Thompson mentioned. “With a rainy get dressed this is with out important problems, if the entirety is going to devise, then for sure there are alternatives inside February that may be achievable.”
NASA’s mega moon rocket emerges from its large warehouse at Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit score: NASA / Joel Kowsky
When is the rainy get dressed practice session?
The 322-foot rocket, taller than the Statue of Liberty, rolls previous the firing room on its method to the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit score: NASA / Aubrey Gemignan
Throughout the take a look at, groups will fill the rocket and rehearse each and every primary step of release‑day fueling. Controllers will run via all countdown procedures, together with the overall “terminal rely,” then prevent on goal at T‑29 seconds. NASA is focused on Feb. 2 for the a very powerful workout, although that might alternate, relying on arrangements.
Mashable Mild Velocity
“We’re going to overview the knowledge,” mentioned Blackwell‑Thompson, “then we’re going to arrange for our release strive.”
The effects will decide whether or not NASA will hit its soonest release window, which opens Feb. 6.
NASA’s crawler-transporter carries the 11-million-pound rocket stack and cellular launcher to the launchpad at Kennedy House Middle on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit score: NASA / Aubrey Gemignani
Artemis II builds on classes from the uncrewed maiden voyage in 2022, which wanted a number of tries to finish fueling. Engineers adjusted how they load liquid oxygen after seeing temperature problems and changed {hardware} after hydrogen leaks have been found out within the connection between the bottom methods and the rocket. In addition they modified and cryogenically examined a key valve that caused trouble right through the overall uncrewed countdown.
Since Artemis I, the Kennedy House Middle has revised procedures and upgraded {hardware} as a part of the Artemis II plan.
The mega moon rocket traverses 4 miles to get to the launchpad for a rainy get dressed practice session at Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit score: NASA / Ben Smegelsky
From left, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, pilot Victor Glover, and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman take questions from newshounds because the mega moon rocket rolls in the back of them to the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit score: NASA / Kim Shiflett
When will Artemis II release?
After 12 hours of crawling, the rocket reaches launchpad 39B at Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Florida, after 6 p.m. ET on Jan. 17, 2026.
Credit score: NASA / Brandon Hancock
As soon as the rainy get dressed practice session ends, engineers will pore over the efficiency of the rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the bottom methods. Provided that the knowledge appears blank will the challenge managers transfer directly to surroundings a selected release date.
NASA officers have rejected any characterization that the workforce has “release fever” or that preparations have been rushed.
“I have were given one activity, and it is a protected go back of Reid and Victor and Christina and Jeremy. I believe {that a} accountability and a consider,” mentioned John Honeycutt, chairperson of the challenge control workforce. “We are going to fly after we’re in a position.”
