From left, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director and Mari Forrestel, Artemis launch director technical assistant, both with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, participate in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

Artemis launch team members participate in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

From left, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director; Mari Forrestel, Artemis launch director technical assistant; and Jeremy Graeber, assistant launch director, all with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, participate in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

Artemis launch team members participate in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

From left, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director and Jeremy Graeber, assistant launch director, both with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, participate in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

Jeremy Graeber, assistant launch director, NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program, smiles during a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

Carlos Moonge, branch chief of Test, Launch, and Recovery Operations, participates in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.

Artemis launch team members participate in a cryogenic propellant loading simulation for NASA’s Artemis III mission on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, inside Firing Rooms 1 and 2 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team rehearse the steps to load the super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage, a process that starts several hours before liftoff for the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.