NASA has advanced its Artemis 2 lunar mission with the rollout of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, marking a pivotal step toward humanity's first crewed moon mission since 1972. The mission, now targeting a February 2026 launch, will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the moon.
The 5-million-kilogram SLS rocket, transported to Florida's Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39B using an upgraded Apollo-era transporter, drew thousands of spectators. Engineers will conduct critical propellant-loading tests in the coming weeks to finalize flight readiness.
Artemis 2 follows NASA's uncrewed 2022 test flight and precedes Artemis 3, now likely delayed beyond 2027 due to SpaceX's Starship development challenges. The mission underscores renewed international collaboration in space exploration, with Canada contributing advanced robotics systems.
Global observers and Asian space agencies are closely monitoring these developments, as lunar exploration gains strategic importance in scientific research and resource utilization efforts.
