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Artemis II Rocket Arrives at Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad

lite News Desk 2 min read

At a glance

  • NASA’s Artemis II rocket reached Launch Pad 39B on January 17, 2026
  • The rollout covered about 4 miles in nearly 12 hours
  • The mission will carry four astronauts around the Moon

NASA completed the transfer of the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center on January 17, 2026. The movement marked a key step ahead of the mission’s planned preparations for lunar flight.

The integrated rocket and spacecraft traveled from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad, covering approximately four miles over a period of nearly 12 hours. The operation was conducted using a crawler-transporter, which moved the hardware at a maximum speed of about 0.82 miles per hour.

The rollout began earlier in the day and concluded when the Artemis II rocket reached the launch pad at 6:42 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. NASA stated that this transfer is part of the sequence leading up to the next phase of mission preparations.

According to NASA, engineers are scheduled to conduct a wet dress rehearsal in the coming days. This process will involve testing the rocket’s fueling systems and practicing countdown procedures at the launch pad.

What the numbers show

  • The rollout started on January 17, 2026
  • The rocket arrived at the pad at 6:42 p.m. EST
  • Crawler-transporter speed reached about 0.82 mph
  • The journey from the assembly building to the pad was approximately 4 miles

The Artemis II mission is planned to send four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency—on a journey around the Moon and back. The mission duration is expected to be about ten days.

The Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft are central components of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to lunar orbit. The Artemis II mission will be the first crewed flight of this program.

With the rocket now positioned at the launch pad, teams will focus on final preparations and system checks. These steps are necessary to verify readiness for the mission’s next milestones.

NASA has outlined that the wet dress rehearsal will test critical launch operations. This includes verifying the rocket’s ability to be fueled and ensuring that countdown activities can proceed as planned.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

Sources and further reading

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