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The Critical NASA Artemis II Launch Date Milestones: SLS Reaches Pad
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The Critical NASA Artemis II Launch Date Milestones: SLS Reaches Pad

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NASA's SLS rocket arrived at the launchpad on Jan 17. Explore the latest NASA Artemis II launch date 2026 updates, wet dress rehearsal details, and crew info.

Humanity's return to the moon is now just a four-mile crawl away. On Jan. 17, 2026, NASA successfully moved its 11 million-pound Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft to launchpad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. The grueling 12-hour journey marks the beginning of the final countdown for the Artemis II mission.

Key Steps for the NASA Artemis II Launch Date

Before four astronauts can embark on their 10-day lunar journey, they must clear the 'wet dress rehearsal.' Scheduled for Feb. 2, this high-stakes test involves loading the rocket with 700,000 gallons of propellant. According to Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, success here could open launch opportunities as early as Feb. 6, 2026.

PhaseScheduled DateKey Objective
Pad RolloutJan 17, 2026Positioning for final testing
Wet Dress RehearsalFeb 2, 2026Full fueling & T-29s countdown
Earliest Launch WindowFeb 6, 2026Crewed mission to lunar orbit

Solving the Hurdles of Artemis I

Engineers haven't been idle since the uncrewed flight in 2022. They've redesigned hardware to prevent the hydrogen leaks that plagued previous attempts and upgraded the ground systems. The mission marks the first crewed lunar flight in 53 years, carrying Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen toward a new era of exploration.

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