From left, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, participate in an Artemis II launch countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Artemis II is the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign and is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.

Members of the Artemis launch team participate in an Artemis II launch countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Artemis II is the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign and is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.

Members of the Artemis launch team participate in an Artemis II launch countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Artemis II is the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign and is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.

Artemis launch team members are seen in Firing Room 1 of NASA Kennedy's Launch Control Center in Florida for an Artemis III cryogenic propellant loading simulation on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. This marked the first simulation the launch team performed ahead of Artemis III.

Artemis launch project engineers Aaron Sherman (left) Tony Bartolone (center), and Anton Kiriwas, senior technical integration manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program, are seen participating in the Artemis III cryogenic propellant loading launch simulation on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This marked the first simulation the launch team performed ahead of Artemis III.

Joshua Jones, Artemis cryogenics manager, participates in the Artemis III cryogenic propellant loading launch simulation on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This marked the first simulation the launch team performed ahead of Artemis III.

Artemis launch team members are seen in Firing Room 1 of NASA Kennedy's Launch Control Center in Florida for an Artemis III cryogenic propellant loading simulation on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. This marked the first simulation the launch team performed ahead of Artemis III.