Tag: Artemis II
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Launch Preview: SLS, Falcon 9, Atlas V, and Soyuz launches comprise busy launch manifest
Nine launches are scheduled this week, with rockets expected to liftoff from Florida, California, Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. Most notably, NASA’s long-awaited Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch the first humans to the Moon in over 50 years on Wednesday. SpaceX has four Starlink missions scheduled for the week, with Falcon 9 launching two…
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Second SLS WDR appears to go as planned – March 6 target
NASA worked through a second Wet Dress Rehearsal for Artemis II, after the SLS vehicle experienced hydrogen leaks around propellant loading during the first test. Work on the Tail Service Mast Umbilical (TSMU) took place while the vehicle remained on Pad 39B, avoiding a rollback and a potential delay to the retargeted launch opportunities in…
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NASA Targets March for Artemis II Launch After Rocket Rehearsal Issues
NASA is now targeting March for the earliest possible launch of its Artemis II mission after encountering technical issues during a critical prelaunch test of its Space Launch System rocket, the agency said. The Artemis II mission is set to carry four astronauts into deep space, marking the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo…
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NASA readies unique science experiments and tech demonstrations for Artemis II crew
Artemis II, the next mission in NASA’s Artemis program to explore the Moon, is scheduled to launch from Florida within the coming weeks. The mission will be the first crewed mission to the vicinity of the Moon since 1972, with the four-person crew expected to travel farther than any other human mission in spaceflight history.…
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NASA Rolls Artemis II Moon Rocket to Launchpad as Final Preparations Begin
NASA on Saturday began the final phase of launch preparations for its Artemis II mission, moving the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket toward its Florida launchpad ahead of the first crewed flight under its lunar return programme. The 322-foot-tall SLS rocket was rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center…
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Artemis II rolls out to LC-39B for first crewed lunar mission since 1972
The rocket and spacecraft that will perform the first human spaceflight to the vicinity of the Moon since December 1972 rolled out to Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, Jan. 17. The Orion spacecraft and its associated Space Launch System rocket, mounted on its mobile launch platform, started its rollout with…
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Here are the launches and landings we’re most excited about in 2026
Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos. For the first time in more than 54 years, astronauts are training to…
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In their own words: The Artemis II crew on the frenetic first hours of their flight
How calm, cool, and utterly chill is the crew of NASA’s first Moon mission in more than half a century? Let’s start with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. “You know me, personally, I hope to take a very short nap on the pad,” he said. “There’s enough time built in there to have a nap. I’ve…
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Artemis II astronauts discuss mission status ahead of in-capsule training
Scheduled to launch in February 2026, the Artemis II Orion capsule and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket are currently at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for final integration and stacking. The Artemis II astronauts — comprised of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — recently spoke…
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Artemis II stacking and preparations underway even as SLS faces budget cuts
The SLS program continues with preparations for the first human spaceflight to the Moon’s vicinity since 1972. Currently scheduled for April 2026, the mission’s date could be moved up to as early as February if no major issues arise. Meanwhile, the program’s future faces uncertainties as the proposed NASA budget for Fiscal Year 2026 aims…