NASA\u2019s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket has left the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and completed its 4.2-mile (6.7-km) journey to Launch Complex 39B.<\/p>\n
The multi-hour rollout process resulted in a sunrise arrival at the pad. The rollout is the last major milestone ahead of launch, which will differ from most recent missions in that the rocket\u2019s needed azimuth \u2014 or flight path \u2014 will continuously change through each day\u2019s launch window.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Launching to the Moon<\/p>\n
Launching into a rendezvous orbit with a satellite or station in low Earth orbit can be relatively simplified as needing to launch directly into the plane \u2013 and therefore the same orbital inclination \u2013 of the target\u2019s orbit.<\/p>\n
For example, when launching to the International Space Station from Florida, the azimuth the rocket follows is 44.98\u00b0. This does not change based on when within the daily window liftoff occurs.<\/p>\n
However, the same is not true when trying to launch into an intercept trajectory with the Moon.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n