Tag: Space Launch System
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NASA returns its SLS rocket back to the launch pad ahead of planned April flight of Artemis 2
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft photographed during the final hour of its four-mile journey to the launch pad on Friday, March 20, 2026. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now Update March 20, 12 p.m. EDT (1600 UTC): NASA confirmed completion of the Space Launch System rocket’s rollout. NASA’s Moon rocket returned to the launch…
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NASA ready for another shot at launching Artemis 2 moon mission
Technicians and engineers perform prelaunch work on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft inside the Vehicle Assembly Building on Feb. 26, 2026. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now NASA plans to haul its Artemis 2 moon rocket back out to its seaside launch pad next week to ready the huge booster for blastoff as early…
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NASA Selects ULA’s Centaur 5 as Upper Stage for SLS Starting With Artemis 4
NASA has selected United Launch Alliance’s Centaur 5 upper stage for use on its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket beginning with the Artemis 4 mission, currently scheduled to launch no earlier than early 2028, according to contract documents released by the agency. Centaur 5 was originally developed as the upper stage for United Launch Alliance’s…
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SLS rocket hauled back to VAB for repairs
NASA’s crawler-transporter 2, carrying NASA’s Artemis 2 SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft secured to mobile launcher 1, rolls back Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to troubleshoot the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage.…
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NASA’s Artemis 2 rocket hit by new problem expected to bump moonshot into early April
A closeup view shows the NASA’s Artemis 2 SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft and launch abort system atop at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. The Artemis 2 test flight will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina…
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Helium problem forces NASA to delay Artemis 2 launch to the moon and roll back the rocket
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, far left, walks around Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a team of troubleshooters working on a helium flow issue with the Space Launch System rocket in the background. (NASA Photo) NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says the giant rocket set to send four astronauts around the…
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NASA completes a smooth rehearsal for historic Artemis 2 moon launch
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket stands on its Florida launch pad. (NASA Photo / Aubrey Gemignani) NASA counted down to T-minus 29 seconds during a smooth rehearsal for a historic launch that could send astronauts around the moon for the first time in more than half a century. The run-through at Launch Complex 39B, at…
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Moon mission fueling test concludes with no major problems
The countdown clock at the Kennedy Space Center Press Site stops at T-29 seconds at the end of the second terminal countdown demonstration, bringing an end to the wet dress rehearsal tanking test on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now NASA and contractor engineers pumped more than 750,000 gallons of supercold propellants into…
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House Panel Advances NASA Authorization Bill Backing Moon-to-Mars Program
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee unanimously approved a new NASA authorization bill on Thursday, reaffirming congressional backing for U.S. leadership in space and the agency’s Moon-to-Mars exploration program. The legislation, introduced as H.R. 7273, emphasizes continued investment in human exploration, science, aeronautics and technology while endorsing an expanded role for commercial partnerships. Authorization…
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NASA Targets March for Artemis II Launch After Rocket Rehearsal Issues
NASA is now targeting March for the earliest possible launch of its Artemis II mission after encountering technical issues during a critical prelaunch test of its Space Launch System rocket, the agency said. The Artemis II mission is set to carry four astronauts into deep space, marking the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo…