NASA Rolls Out Artemis 2 Moon Rocket for Historic Rollout on January 17

NASA prepares to transport its second moon rocket to the launch pad in a historic step toward sending astronauts beyond Earth since the Apollo era. The Artemis 2 moon rocket will be moved to Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39B on Jan. 17 at 7 a.m. EST.

This operation involves the second Space Launch System (SLS) booster and Orion spacecraft, which measure 322 feet in height. The transport process is expected to take several hours, culminating in a NASA press conference at 12 p.m. EST on the same day to discuss mission parameters.

The mission is scheduled for a February 6 launch, with a 10-day lunar orbit trajectory carrying four astronauts. No specific crew composition details have been disclosed.

The SLS rocket's specifications remain consistent with prior configurations, focusing on verified metrics from the current rollout timeline. This marks the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, with operational readiness confirmed through infrastructure assessments at Launch Pad 39B.