NASA names possible launch window for Artemis II manned mission

NASA has moved closer to the first manned flight of the Artemis programme: the agency plans to roll the super-heavy Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center (Florida) no earlier than Saturday, January 17. The convoy on a tracked transporter must slowly walk about 4 miles (about 6.4 kilometres) from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad - an operation that typically takes about 12 hours.

Once on site, teams will have to connect the ground power, cooling and refuelling lines and carry out a series of checks. Then scheduled "wet dress rehearsal" (wet dress rehearsal): the rocket will be fully fuelled with cryogenic components and will practice the countdown without starting the engines. Following the test, NASA will conduct a final readiness review and will be able to select a specific launch date.

What dates are being considered for launch

NASA has designated the first launch window as 6 February (with additional opportunities on 7, 8, 10 and 11 February). This is followed by windows of 6-11 March and 1-6 April (including 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 April). However, the agency emphasises that the schedule may shift due to technology or weather.

Restrictions on dates are not only due to Florida weather and refuelling logistics, but also to Orion's power requirements: some options are ruled out if the trajectory would result in the spacecraft staying in the moon's shadow for long periods of time, which reduces the efficiency of the solar panels.

What is Artemis II and who will fly it

Artemis II is Orion's first manned flight as part of the Artemis programme: the crew will fly an approximately 10-day mission circling the Moon without landing. The crew includes commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
NASA also confirms that the crew has named their Orion Integrity.

Why preparations are "risk-averse"

Engineers have been addressing a number of observations in recent weeks, including replacing a cable associated with the emergency flight termination system, working on a valve in Orion's hatch system, and repairing leaks in the crew's ground-based breathing oxygen supply. NASA notes: rollout or further milestones may be rescheduled if necessary.