NASA's massive moon rocket has begun its slow creep towards the launchpad, marking a major milestone in the agency's plans to return humans to the lunar surface. The 98-meter-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is set to embark on its first crewed mission, Artemis II, which is expected to blast off in early February.
Thousands of NASA employees and their families gathered at Kennedy Space Center to witness the historic event, with the agency's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, and all four astronauts assigned to the mission in attendance. The crowd was electric, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, who described the day as "awe-inspiring."
The rocket and its Orion crew capsule were transported to the launchpad on a massive transporter, a vehicle used during the Apollo and shuttle eras that has been upgraded for the SLS rocket's extra weight. Weighing over 5 million kilograms, the rocket is the heaviest ever built by NASA.
The mission marks a major milestone in the Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the moon by 2025. While this first crewed mission will not include a lunar landing, it will still take the astronauts on a fly-around of the moon's surface before returning to Earth.
The journey has been years in the making, with delays caused by technical issues and extensive testing. Heat shield damage and other capsule problems required extensive analyses and tests before the rocket was deemed safe for crewed flight.
This mission is historic not only because it marks the first time humans have returned to the moon since Apollo 17 but also because it will be led by a diverse team of astronauts, including Canadian Jeremy Hansen, who is awaiting his first rocket ride. The crew's enthusiasm is palpable, with Commander Wiseman expressing their desire to explore the unknown and push the boundaries of human spaceflight.
As NASA prepares for liftoff, the agency has only a five-day window in February before it bumps into March. A fuelling test on the launchpad is scheduled for early February, followed by confirmation of the mission's launch date.
Thousands of NASA employees and their families gathered at Kennedy Space Center to witness the historic event, with the agency's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, and all four astronauts assigned to the mission in attendance. The crowd was electric, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, who described the day as "awe-inspiring."
The rocket and its Orion crew capsule were transported to the launchpad on a massive transporter, a vehicle used during the Apollo and shuttle eras that has been upgraded for the SLS rocket's extra weight. Weighing over 5 million kilograms, the rocket is the heaviest ever built by NASA.
The mission marks a major milestone in the Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the moon by 2025. While this first crewed mission will not include a lunar landing, it will still take the astronauts on a fly-around of the moon's surface before returning to Earth.
The journey has been years in the making, with delays caused by technical issues and extensive testing. Heat shield damage and other capsule problems required extensive analyses and tests before the rocket was deemed safe for crewed flight.
This mission is historic not only because it marks the first time humans have returned to the moon since Apollo 17 but also because it will be led by a diverse team of astronauts, including Canadian Jeremy Hansen, who is awaiting his first rocket ride. The crew's enthusiasm is palpable, with Commander Wiseman expressing their desire to explore the unknown and push the boundaries of human spaceflight.
As NASA prepares for liftoff, the agency has only a five-day window in February before it bumps into March. A fuelling test on the launchpad is scheduled for early February, followed by confirmation of the mission's launch date.
y'know what this means? It means we're not done pushing the boundaries of human potential just yet! 
Like, seriously though, think about it - we're talkin' billions of dollars invested in a massive rocket, just to go around the moon once. And what's the end goal here? To learn more about our universe and ourselves. It's like, we gotta keep reachin' for that next horizon, you know? 
We can't just settle for "good enough" - we gotta strive for greatness. 
And let's not forget, this mission is all about teamwork, diversity & inclusion! 
We're talkin' astronauts from different backgrounds, cultures & countries comin' together to achieve a common goal. That's what it's all about, folks! 
, is like the ultimate symbol of what humanity can achieve when we work together 
. fingers crossed for a successful mission and a safe trip to the moon 
!
The fact that they're taking a fly-around of the moon's surface before heading back to Earth is still pretty cool. And can't wait to see Jeremy Hansen's reaction on his first rocket ride 
... fingers crossed he doesn't get motion sickness 
.
.
. and can you imagine being part of that crew on this historic mission? it's a dream come true for so many people out there 
. i'm keeping my fingers crossed for a successful launch and a new era of space exploration 
, and yeah its awesome that we're finally getting back to the moon, but what about when were back 
and it's crazy to think that it's carrying 4 humans on an epic journey around the moon 
.
.
I'm hyped for the fly-around of the moon's surface, but can we PLEASE get to the lunar landing soon? 
The wait has been so long... 2025 can't come soon enough! 
I mean, can you even imagine being part of a mission like this?!? 
That's just the icing on the cake! I'm literally counting down the days till February... can't wait to see those rockets blast off into space 
! i'm loving how diverse the crew is, it's all about representation and making space exploration more inclusive 
. And Commander Wiseman's energy is infectious, I'm sure he's going to lead an epic mission. Now we just gotta wait and see if everything goes smoothly in February... fingers crossed! 
its been ages since they last sent humans to the moon and now they're gonna try again with a new crew. i'm hyped for commander wiseman and the whole team, especially jeremy hansen from canada - never thought i'd see the day where nasa's diverse enough to have canadian astronauts 
. 5 million kg rocket is crazy heavy lol! and artemis II is gonna be lit (pun intended)