Washington, January 18, 2026 – The Europe Today: NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) mega rocket has been transported to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, as final preparations commence for the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than five decades, media reports.
The 98-meter-tall rocket was moved vertically from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center over a nearly 12-hour, 6.5-kilometer journey. The transport, conducted by a massive crawler-transporter moving at speeds up to 1.3 km/h, was broadcast live, highlighting the slow and meticulous operation.
With the rocket now in position, NASA will carry out final tests, checks, and a “wet dress rehearsal” to test fuel operations and countdown procedures before giving the green light for the Artemis II mission. The 10-day mission will see four astronauts travel around the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar flight since Apollo 17 in December 1972.
The Artemis II crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—observed the rocket’s movement at Kennedy Space Center.
NASA has indicated that the earliest possible launch date is February 6, 2026, with additional launch windows available later in February, as well as in March and April.
In the coming weeks, the astronauts will be secured atop the rocket for the historic journey, bringing humanity one step closer to returning to the lunar surface after more than half a century.
