![The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at the Vehicle Assembly Building ahead of its trip to Launch Pad 39-B for testing at Kennedy Space Center on March 16, 2022.
![Artemis I sits atop the mobile launch in High Bay...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
Artemis I sits atop the mobile launch in High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building on March 16, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center awaiting transport to Launch Pad 39-B for a wet dress .rehearsal.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., workers are seem, lower left, at the giant crawler-transporter 2 supporting the launch structure containing NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the megarocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule will rollout for the first time Thursday evening, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![A view of the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS)...]()
NASA/Ben Smegelsky/NASA/Ben Smegelsky
A view of the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft just before sunrise at Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 23, 2022. The SLS and Orion atop the mobile launcher were transported to the pad on crawler-transporter 2 for a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![NASA's crawler-transporter 2 enters the Vehicle Assembly Building on March...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA's crawler-transporter 2 enters the Vehicle Assembly Building on March 15, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center set to give the Artemis I rocket a ride to Launch Pad 39-B.
![In this image released by NASA, the NASA Artemis rocketm...]()
NASA/Joel Kowsky/AP
In this image released by NASA, the NASA Artemis rocketm with the Orion spacecraft aboard, is framed through the windows of firing room one as it moves slowly on an 11-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, March 17, 2022. While at the pad the rocket and Orion spacecraft will undergo tests to verify systems and practice countdown procedures.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., a visitor watches as NASA's...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., a visitor watches as NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., crowds gather to watch NASA's...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., crowds gather to watch NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission roll to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![A view of the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS)...]()
NASA/Ben Smegelsky/NASA/Ben Smegelsky
A view of the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft on Launch Pad 39-B during sunrise at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2022.
![NASA's crawler-transporter 2 enters the Vehicle Assembly Building on March...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA's crawler-transporter 2 enters the Vehicle Assembly Building on March 15, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center set to give the Artemis I rocket a ride to Launch Pad 39-B.
![In this view looking up from the flame trench at...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett/NASA/Kim Shiflett
In this view looking up from the flame trench at Launch Pad 39-B, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are photographed atop the mobile launcher at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 18, 2022.
![The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at the Vehicle Assembly Building ahead of its trip to Launch Pad 39-B for testing at Kennedy Space Center on March 16, 2022.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![The sunrise casts a warm glow around the Artemis I...]()
NASA/Ben Smegelsky/NASA/Ben Smegelsky
The sunrise casts a warm glow around the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft at Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 21, 2022. The SLS and Orion atop the mobile launcher were transported to the pad on crawler-transporter 2 for a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal.
![The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., open for the first time to reveal the launch structure containing NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the megarocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule will rollout for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![NASA employees camp out across from the Vehicle Assembly Building...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
NASA employees camp out across from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., for a view of the rollout of the Artemis 1 moon rocket, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule will rollout for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett/NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, slowly makes its way down the crawlerway at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022. Carried atop the crawler-transporter 2, NASA's Moon rocket is venturing from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39-B for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch.
![Artemis I sits atop the mobile launch in High Bay...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett
Artemis I sits atop the mobile launch in High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building on March 16, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center awaiting transport to Launch Pad 39-B for a wet dress .rehearsal.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![The sunrise casts a golden glow on the Artemis I...]()
NASA/Ben Smegelsky/NASA/Ben Smegelsky
The sunrise casts a golden glow on the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft at Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 23, 2022.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., VIPs watch NASA's moon rocket...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., VIPs watch NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission roll to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at the Vehicle Assembly Building ahead of its trip to Launch Pad 39-B for testing at Kennedy Space Center on March 16, 2022.
![NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, standing...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett/NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, standing atop the mobile launcher, arrive at Launch Pad 39-B at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 18, 2022, for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. In view is the crawler-transporter 2, which carried the Artemis I stack from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad – a 4.2-mile journey that took nearly 11 hours to complete.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![From left, former Apollo 10 astronaut Gen. Thomas Stafford, NASA...]()
Tomás Diniz Santos/Orlando Sentinel
From left, former Apollo 10 astronaut Gen. Thomas Stafford, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman and NASA astronaut Drew Feustel speak to the media at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
![The moon serves as a background for the Artemis I...]()
NASA/Ben Smegelsky/NASA/Ben Smegelsky
The moon serves as a background for the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft at Launch Pad 39-B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 21, 2022. The SLS and Orion atop the mobile launcher were transported to the pad on crawler-transporter 2 for a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA Administrator Bill Nelson arrives...]()
Tomás Diniz Santos/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA Administrator Bill Nelson arrives to speak to the media before the rollout of NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission, Thursday, March 17, 2022.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., dusk sets as NASA's moon...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., dusk sets as NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., open for the first time to reveal the launch structure containing NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the megarocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule will rollout for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., open for the first time to reveal the launch structure containing NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the megarocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule will rollout for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![Standing atop the mobile launcher, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS)...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett/NASA/Kim Shiflett
Standing atop the mobile launcher, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is photographed at Launch Pad 39-B at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 18, 2022. The rocket, with the Orion capsule atop, was carried from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad – a 4.2-mile journey that took nearly 11 hours to complete – by the agency's crawler-transporter 2 for a wet dress rehearsal ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., VIPs watch NASA's moon rocket...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., VIPs watch NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission roll to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the Orion capsule...]()
NASA/Kim Shiflett/NASA/Kim Shiflett
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 39-B. 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.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
![The Space Launch System and Orion capsule for Artemis I...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
The Space Launch System and Orion capsule for Artemis I sit on the mobile launcher in High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center on March 16, 2022 ahead of its rollout to Launch Pad 39-B the following day.
![Artemis I sits atop the mobile launch in High Bay...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
Artemis I sits atop the mobile launch in High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building on March 16, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center awaiting transport to Launch Pad 39-B for a wet dress .rehearsal.
![The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
The 456-foot-tall bay doors of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., open for the first time to reveal the launch structure containing NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the megarocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule will rollout for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission rolls to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rollouts for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA employees take cellphone photos...]()
Joe Burbank
At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., NASA employees take cellphone photos watching NASA's moon rocket for the Artemis 1 mission roll to the launch pad, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Known as the Space Launch System (SLS), the mega-rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft capsule rolled out for the first time Thursday evening on the giant crawler-transporter 2, headed to Launch Complex 39-B.
![The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at...]()
NASA/Glenn Benson
The Artemis I rocket sits in High Bay 3 at the Vehicle Assembly Building ahead of its trip to Launch Pad 39-B for testing at Kennedy Space Center on March 16, 2022.
![After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the...]()
Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
After completing its second rollout overnight Sunday, Artemis 1 —the NASA moonshot rocket— stands at launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Monday, June 6, 2022. The 322-foot-tall rocket stack includes the Orion spacecraft and made the 4.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad in 11 hours. NASA is targeting a wet rehearsal for Artemis 1 on June 19. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
NASA reached nearly all of its goals with the latest wet dress rehearsal of its Artemis I moon rocket this week at Kennedy Space Center, but without a 100% completion, managers said they need to compare the results with previous tests done on the rocket to see if they can move forward with a launch attempt.
Teams were able to complete late Monday the filling and draining of 730,000 gallons of super-cooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen on the 5.75 million-pound, 322-foot-tall combination of the Space Launch System, Orion capsule and mobile launcher sitting at Launch Pad 39-B. It was the fourth attempt to complete what was hoped to be the final major test before attempting to launch the uncrewed flight to orbit the moon.
Mission managers would not commit to saying whether or not a potential August launch date was still on the table but would likely come back with more information in a couple of days.
A new hydrogen leak on an umbilical running from the mobile launcher to the core stage, though, forced changes near the end of the test so managers couldn’t get the countdown down to the goal of 9 seconds on the clock. The test concluded at T-29 seconds.
If it had been a real launch, the leak would have forced a scrub through automated protection systems in place, so it’s something that needs to be fixed before any launch attempt. It was also a leak that went undetected on previous test runs because those were scrubbed earlier in the tanking process.
“We talk about being pieces of a puzzle and the delicate dance. We got through the dance, and we’re now looking at the pieces of the puzzle, to decide what are the pieces that we didn’t get,” said Tom Whitmeyer, NASA’s deputy associate administrator for Common Exploration Systems Development. “But we also got an awful lot of pieces to the puzzle put together. We have pretty good idea what the puzzle looks like at this point.”
Whitmeyer points out that some of the checkboxes that NASA was looking to complete have actually already been performed, such as when the core stage went through its 2021 hot fire run at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi that simulated the engine burn of more than eight minutes that will be performed when the rocket finally does lift off from KSC.
NASA’s SLS chief engineer John Blevins noted that these rehearsals are a benefit despite the threat of more delays as they reduce the risk of surprises come launch day. So that could mean more tests are in order.
As far as the rocket goes, its next step is a rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building. If the decision is made to go for launch, its next trip to the launch pad could be its last before the planned flight to send the Orion capsule farther into space than any other human-rated spacecraft has ever traveled — 280,000 miles away, or 40,000 miles beyond the moon.
When it launches, the rocket will become the most powerful to lift off from Earth producing 8.8 million pounds of thrust. NASA is looking to pave the way for the crewed Artemis II mission in 2024 that will also orbit the moon but not land. It isn’t until 2025 at the earliest that Artemis III would send two crew members to the lunar surface, including the first woman on the moon.
The earliest launch opportunities for Artemis I, though, are in windows that run July 26-Aug. 10, Aug. 23-Sept. 6, Sept. 20-Oct. 4, Oct. 17-31, Nov. 12-27 and Dec. 9-23.
