NASA's giant moon rocket, known as the Space Launch System (SLS), has begun its slow and deliberate creep towards the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. The 98-meter behemoth is set to embark on its maiden voyage in February, carrying a crew of four astronauts on an unprecedented lunar fly-by mission.
Thousands of NASA employees and their families gathered to witness the historic moment, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – at the forefront of the celebration. The SLS rocket, weighing in at 5 million kilograms, was transported on a massive transporter from its vehicle assembly building, a structure built in the 1960s to accommodate the Saturn V rockets that once sent astronauts to the moon.
The crew commander, Reid Wiseman, described the scene as "awe-inspiring," while NASA's John Honeycutt noted that this mission feels different due to the presence of crew on board and the upcoming lunar fly-by. The SLS rocket is being upgraded for this mission after experiencing heat shield damage and other issues during its initial test flight.
The 10-day Artemis II mission will mark the first time astronauts have traveled to the moon in over half a century, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin being the last duo to walk on the lunar surface in 1972. The crew of four includes Jeremy Hansen, a former fighter pilot awaiting his first rocket ride, as well as veteran astronauts Wiseman, Glover, and Koch.
As NASA gears up for the launch, officials are keeping a tight schedule, with a fuelling test scheduled for early February before confirming the final launch date within the next five days. The mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's ambitious Artemis program, with its sights set on returning humans to the moon by 2025.
Thousands of NASA employees and their families gathered to witness the historic moment, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – at the forefront of the celebration. The SLS rocket, weighing in at 5 million kilograms, was transported on a massive transporter from its vehicle assembly building, a structure built in the 1960s to accommodate the Saturn V rockets that once sent astronauts to the moon.
The crew commander, Reid Wiseman, described the scene as "awe-inspiring," while NASA's John Honeycutt noted that this mission feels different due to the presence of crew on board and the upcoming lunar fly-by. The SLS rocket is being upgraded for this mission after experiencing heat shield damage and other issues during its initial test flight.
The 10-day Artemis II mission will mark the first time astronauts have traveled to the moon in over half a century, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin being the last duo to walk on the lunar surface in 1972. The crew of four includes Jeremy Hansen, a former fighter pilot awaiting his first rocket ride, as well as veteran astronauts Wiseman, Glover, and Koch.
As NASA gears up for the launch, officials are keeping a tight schedule, with a fuelling test scheduled for early February before confirming the final launch date within the next five days. The mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's ambitious Artemis program, with its sights set on returning humans to the moon by 2025.
! It's crazy to think that we're actually going to see astronauts on the moon again after all these years 
. The SLS rocket is like a giant metal beast that's been built to last 
. It's wild to imagine the weight of it, 5 million kilograms! That's insane 
.
. The crew selection process must have been tough, but they all look like amazing individuals 
.
. They've had to upgrade the rocket for this mission after all those issues during the test flight, and it just goes to show how much they care about making sure everything is perfect 
.
! The whole world should be watching this historic moment 
. Bring it on, NASA! 
! can you even imagine what that's like?! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everything to go smoothly on February 1st 
. we're living in some amazing times with NASA's Artemis program and it's so inspiring to see the next gen of astronauts stepping up 
What about the heat shield damage and other issues they've had during test flights? Are those fixed? 
Sources, pls? Want to know more about these 'upgrades' before I get too hyped about this mission...
he must be so nervous but also super excited at the same time, right? and yeah, this crew is like the ultimate team of astronauts - they've got skills and experience on their side 
can't wait to see them soar into space in just a few weeks. And it's crazy that we're getting another lunar fly-by mission after all these years... like what took us so long? 
anyway, fingers crossed everything goes smoothly for the Artemis II mission 
! I mean, think about it, we're finally going back to the moon after all these years and it's gonna be a historic moment 
. The SLS rocket is massive, like, whoa 
. I just wish more people were following NASA's progress on the platform – we're the best community for space enthusiasts, imo 
. seriously though, it's crazy to think about how far nasa's come since those Saturn V rockets back in the 60s. and good luck with the heat shield damage issues... hope they didn't cut corners too much on that upgrade process 
. can't wait to see jeremy hansen's face when he experiences his first rocket ride... I'm sure it'll be a real "fighter pilot" moment 
. And can we talk about the heat shield damage issues during the test flight? Fingers crossed NASA got everything fixed for Artemis II 
. I'm also loving how NASA is getting all the details right for this mission, from upgrading the heat shield to making sure everything is shipshape (no pun intended). It's going to be so cool to see those astronauts on their way to the moon in February - can't wait! 
. Meanwhile, there are still people struggling with basic access to healthcare and education on Earth 
.
. And who knows, maybe this mission will inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers to work towards solving some of our world's most pressing problems 
. Still, we need more than just tech wizardry to make real change happen 
! The scale & complexity of the SLS rocket are awe-inspiring, don't you think? I mean, can you believe we're finally going back to the moon after all these years?! 
I'm also intrigued by Jeremy Hansen, a fighter pilot-turned-astronaut – talk about a thrilling career change 
i mean, i guess it needs to be since they're sending crew members to the moon 
on a more realistic scale. and what's with all these astronauts? seems like they're overcompensating for being in space 
anyway, hope it doesn't blow up mid-flight 
I'm literally shaking thinking about this 
! Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jared Isaacman are literally the coolest astronauts ever 
. Bring it on! 
. I mean, can you imagine being one of those astronauts?! 
! only 5 days left until launch, and i'm counting down the minutes