NASA's new lunar rocket began its journey to the launch pad on Saturday, preparing for the first crewed flight around the Moon in over half a century, LETA reports, citing AP.
The launch could take place as early as February.
At dawn, the 98-meter rocket began its slow journey from the assembly building at Kennedy Space Center to the launch platform. The six-kilometer path will take nearly the entire day — until dark.
Crowds of space center employees and their families gathered to witness this long-awaited event, which had been postponed multiple times.
Wow. LETS GO!!! pic.twitter.com/xozFfnJI8c
— Reid Wiseman (@astro_reid) January 17, 2026
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the crewed Orion capsule placed atop it were mounted on a giant transporter previously used in the Apollo and shuttle programs. It has since been upgraded to handle the increased weight of the new rocket.
The first and so far only launch of the SLS, during which an empty Orion capsule was sent into orbit around the Moon, took place in November 2022.
Damage to the heat shield and other issues identified during that test flight required extensive analysis and additional testing. As a result, the first crewed flight to the Moon has been postponed. This time, the astronauts will not enter lunar orbit or land on the surface — that is planned only for the third phase of the Artemis program in a few years.
Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and Christina Koch — experienced NASA astronauts with previous space mission participation — will spend ten days in space. They will be joined by Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, for whom this will be his first flight.
They will be the first humans heading to the Moon since the conclusion of the lunar program in 1972.
NASA plans to fuel the rocket at the launch pad in early February, after which the launch date will be confirmed.
The space agency will have only five days in the first half of February to launch; otherwise, it will be postponed to March.
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