NASA's Artemis II and Orion spacecraft roll out of the Kennedy Space Center. Photo: Jim Watson / AFP
NASA has rolled out its towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, as it begins preparations for its first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.
The manoeuvre took up to 12 hours and will allow the US space agency to begin a string of tests for the Artemis 2 mission, which could blast off as early as 6 February.
The immense orange-and-white Space Launch System rocket and the Orion vessel were slowly wheeled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and painstakingly moved 6.5km to Launch Pad 39B.
NASA's Artemis II and Orion spacecraft are slowly wheeled out to Launch Pad 39B. Photo: Jim Watson / AFP
If the tests are all satisfactory, three Americans and one Canadian will head to the Moon sometime between 6 February and the end of April - they will not land, but instead fly around Earth's satellite.
The mission - which would last about 10 days - would be a huge step towards Americans once again setting foot on the lunar surface, a goal announced by President Donald Trump in his first term.
"We're making history," Artemis 2 mission management team chair John Honeycutt said.
'Pretty pumped'
US astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canada's Jeremy Hansen, were on site Saturday for the rocket's rollout.
Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images / AFP
"I'm actually pretty pumped to see that," Hansen said. "In just a few weeks, you're going to see four humans fly around the moon and, if we're doing that now, imagine what we can do next."
Glover added: "We're swinging for the fence, trying to make the impossible possible."
Before the mission can take off, engineers must ensure the SLS rocket is safe and viable. After a battery of tests, a pre-launch simulation will be carried out.
The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission took place in November 2022, after repeated postponements and two failed launch attempts.
NASA hopes to put humans back on the Moon, as China forges ahead with a rival effort targeting 2030 at the latest for its first crewed mission.
The Artemis 2 launch will be the first crewed mission to the Moon in 50 years. Photo: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP
Its uncrewed Chang'e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the Moon's south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also scheduled this year.
NASA hopes the Moon could be used to help prepare future missions to Mars, but the programme has been plagued by delays.
The US space agency surprised many late last year, when it said Artemis 2 could happen as soon as February - an acceleration explained by the Trump administration's wish to beat China to the punch.
Currently scheduled for 2027, Artemis 3 is expected to be pushed back, as industry experts say Elon Musk's SpaceX is behind on delivering the Starship megarocket needed for the mission.
- AFP
