
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, slowly rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022, on its journey to Launch Complex 39B. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA’s Moon rocket is venturing out to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

Seen here is a close-up view of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket as it rolls to Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2022. Carried by the 6.65-million-pound crawler-transporter 2, the rocket is traveling to the launch pad for NASA’s next wet dress rehearsal attempt ahead of the Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex series of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and using the Moon as a steppingstone before venturing to Mars.

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft rolls out from the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 21, 2019. The spacecraft will make the trip to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where it will be prepared for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

A view of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, during sunrise on Jan. 19, 2022. Inside the VAB, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft are stacked in High Bay 3 in preparation for the agency’s Artemis I mission. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, slowly rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022, on its journey to Launch Complex 39B. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA’s Moon rocket is venturing out to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in this close-up view at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket – carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 – prepares to roll past the iconic countdown clock at the NASA News Center on its way to Launch Complex 39B on June 6, 2022, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket is traveling to the launch pad for NASA’s next wet dress rehearsal attempt ahead of the Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex series of missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and using the Moon as a steppingstone before venturing to Mars.

A view of the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as painting of the U.S. flag continues on the iconic building on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

A long-exposure image captures a streak of light produced by passing vehicles in front of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. The iconic Vehicle Assembly Building, completed in 1966 and currently used for assembly of NASA's Space Launch System rocket for Artemis missions, remains the only building in which rockets were assembled that carried humans to the surface of another world.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, slowly rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022, on its journey to Launch Complex 39B. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA’s Moon rocket is venturing out to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft rolls out from the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 21, 2019. The spacecraft will make the trip to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where it will be prepared for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

A view of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, during sunrise on Jan. 19, 2022. Inside the VAB, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft are stacked in High Bay 3 in preparation for the agency’s Artemis I mission. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, prepares to roll out of High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022, for its journey to Launch Complex 39B. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA’s Moon rocket is venturing out to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft rolls out from the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 21, 2019. The spacecraft will make the trip to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where it will be prepared for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

A fog rolls over the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 13, 2020. The iconic 525-foot-tall facility will support the launch of the agency’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spaceport for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB. In view in the background is the Launch Control Center.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Tuesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

NASA’s Moon rocket is on the move at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

NASA’s Moon rocket is on the move at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in this close-up view at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in this close-up view at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

On March 17, 2022, the Artemis I Moon rocket rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and made its way to launch pad 39B in preparation for the wet dress rehearsal – one of the final tests needed before the Artemis I launch.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft rolls out from the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 4, 2022. The spacecraft will make the trip to the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station where it will be secured atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for Boeing’s second Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2) to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

NASA’s Moon rocket is on the move at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft passes by the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 21, 2019, making its way to the Space Launch Complex 41 Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, Starliner will be secured atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in preparation for Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft passes by the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 21, 2019, making its way to the Space Launch Complex 41 Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, Starliner will be secured atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in preparation for Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft passes by the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 21, 2019, making its way to the Space Launch Complex 41 Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, Starliner will be secured atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in preparation for Boeing’s uncrewed Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

Painting of the U.S. flag continues on the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 17, 2020. HM2 and H.I.S. Painting of Titusville, Florida, are repainting the American Flag on the iconic building. The flag is 209 feet long by 110 feet wide. Each star is more than six feet in diameter, and each stripe is nine feet wide. Exploration Ground Systems is overseeing upgrades to the VAB to support the launch of the Space Launch System and Orion for Artemis missions. Under the Artemis program, NASA will send the first woman and next man to the Moon.

NASA’s Moon rocket is on the move at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

NASA’s Moon rocket is on the move at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

A view of the low bay entrance to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, during sunrise on Jan. 19, 2022. The Artemis banner is above the door. Inside the VAB, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft are stacked in High Bay 3 in preparation for the agency’s Artemis I mission. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, prepares to roll out of High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022, for its journey to Launch Complex 39B. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA’s Moon rocket is venturing out to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket – carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 – rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2022, beginning the 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B. The rocket is traveling to the launch pad for NASA’s next wet dress rehearsal attempt ahead of the Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex series of missions, Artemis I will test the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and using the Moon as a steppingstone before venturing to Mars.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

NASA’s Moon rocket is on the move at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building for a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are venturing to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

After completing its journey from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans aboard the Pegasus barge, teams with Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) transport the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) core stage to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Once inside, SLS will be prepared for integration atop the mobile launcher ahead of the Artemis II launch.

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, prepares to roll out of High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022, for its journey to Launch Complex 39B. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA’s Moon rocket is venturing out to the launch pad for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. The first in an increasingly complex set of missions, Artemis I will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the lunar surface, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft passes by the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 4, 2022, making its way to the Space Launch Complex-41 Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. At the pad, Starliner will be secured atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in preparation for Boeing’s second Orbital Flight Test (OFT-2) to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission rolls along the crawlerway atop crawler-transporter 2 after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission rolls along the crawlerway atop crawler-transporter 2 after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission rolls along the crawlerway atop crawler-transporter 2 after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission begins its rollout atop crawler-transporter 2 from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Bright lights illuminate the Vehicle Assembly Building in the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, as the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission begins its rollout atop crawler-transporter 2 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission begins its rollout atop crawler-transporter 2 from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission begins its rollout atop crawler-transporter 2 from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission begins its rollout atop crawler-transporter 2 from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Seen here is an exterior view of the Launch Control Center (LCC) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, located next to the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building, on July 8, 2021. The LCC will house the team of engineers responsible for launching the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission. On July 8, teams from Kennedy, Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, and Johnson Space Center in Houston came together to perform the first joint integrated launch countdown simulation for Artemis I. The training exercise involved rehearsing all aspects of the launch countdown, from cryogenic loading – filling tanks in the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen – to liftoff. These simulations will help certify that the launch team is ready for Artemis I – the first test flight of SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, technicians monitor the treads on crawler-transporter 2 as it carries the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission along the crawlerway after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

A close-up view of crawler-transporter 2 as it moves slowly along the crawlerway carrying the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission rolls along the crawlerway atop crawler-transporter 2 after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

A close-up view of crawler-transporter 2 as it moves slowly along the crawlerway carrying the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission begins its rollout atop crawler-transporter 2 from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

In the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission rolls along the crawlerway atop crawler-transporter 2 after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher is being rolled to Launch Pad 39B. During its two-week stay at the pad, engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.

Xenon lights illuminate Launch Pad 39B as the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission, atop crawler-transporter 2, nears the pad in the early morning on Oct. 20, 2020, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher will stay at the pad for two weeks while engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.