NASA Rolls SLS + Orion Stack to Launch Pad 39B for Artemis II
87 FOMOAfter helium leak repairs and final close-outs, NASA began the ~4-mile rollout of the fully stacked SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. Rollout started ~8 p.m. EDT March 19 (delayed slightly by winds) and is expected to complete within 12 hours. This positions the vehicle for the April 1 targeted crewed lunar flyby: the first humans around the Moon since Apollo 17.
Details
Mission
- Vehicle
- SLS Block 1 + Orion
- Launch site
- KSC LC-39B
- Target
- Lunar flyby (Artemis II)
Coverage
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space.com ·
NASA Artemis 2 SLS arrives at pad March 20 after rolloutSLS/Orion stack reaches LC-39B March 20 post-VAB rollout delay; fueling tests ahead of April NET.
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spaceflightnow.com ·
Live coverage: NASA rolls SLS rocket back to launch pad ahead of Artemis 2The 4-mile journey from VAB to LC-39B began late March 19 after minor wind delays. This is the final major pre-launch ground operation before the April crewed lunar flyby window opens.
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nasa.gov ·
NASA Finalizes Artemis II Rollout, Crew Begins QuarantineEngineers completed final close-outs faster than expected. The SLS + Orion stack began its rollout to Pad 39B on March 19 targeting April 1 launch. Artemis II will send four astronauts on the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17.
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Veenie.Space Telemetry
After helium leak repairs and final close-outs, NASA began the ~4-mile rollout of the fully stacked