NASA Rolls Artemis 2 Moon Rocket to Launch Pad

After half a century of robotic missions and dreams deferred, NASA is moving a crewed moon rocket to the launch pad for the first time since the Apollo era.

The massive Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft began their slow journey to Launch Pad 39B this morning at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 4-mile trek takes eight to ten hours at less than one mile per hour, with the towering rocket swaying gently atop NASA's Crawler-Transporter 2.

Four astronauts will ride this rocket around the moon: NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canada's Jeremy Hansen. Their 10-day journey will take humans farther from Earth than anyone has traveled since Apollo 17 in 1972.

The mission represents more than nostalgia. Artemis 2 proves that international cooperation in space exploration is alive and thriving, with Canada contributing both technology and crew to this historic flight.

Once at the pad, teams will conduct crucial tests including a wet dress rehearsal on February 2, where they'll load the rocket with fuel and run through a complete countdown. This test will determine whether launch windows in February, March, or April are achievable.

The Ripple Effect goes far beyond four astronauts circling the moon. This mission paves the way for Artemis 3, which will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface. Each test, each rollout, each successful milestone builds the foundation for a permanent human presence on the moon.

The rocket's predecessor, Artemis 1, flew an uncrewed test mission in 2022 that exceeded all expectations. Now the same spacecraft design will carry human passengers, opening a new chapter in exploration that could lead to lunar bases, asteroid missions, and eventually journeys to Mars.

Watching a moon rocket roll to the pad again reminds us that some dreams are worth the wait.