Jakarta –
For the first time in over 50 years, NASA is preparing to send humans back to the Moon. The American space agency has moved the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the launchpad at cape Canaveral, Florida, marking the final stage of preparation for the Artemis II mission.
According to BBC News and NASA, the 98-meter-tall rocket will be the primary vehicle for four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon. If all tests go according to plan, the launch could take place as early as Febuary 6, 2026, with backup schedules in March and April.
A Historic Moment: Humans Return to the Moon
In a process that took nearly 12 hours, the SLS rocket was moved vertically from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. The 6.5-kilometer journey was carried out by a massive transporter vehicle called the crawler-transporter, moving slowly (around 1.3 km per hour), and was broadcast live by NASA.
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The four trained astronauts who will embark on this mission – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – witnessed the rocket’s move firsthand at the location.
“Astronauts are the calmest people on launch day. And I think that’s because we are so prepared to execute the mission we’ve been training for,” said Christina Koch, the only female astronaut on the team.
Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to the Moon sence Apollo 17 in December 1972. However, unlike its predecessor, this mission will not land on the surface, but will orbit the Moon to test major systems before a landing is carried out by Artemis III.