NASA’s Moon Exploration After 5 Decades: Artemis Program Explained

NASA has taken a historic step toward its first human Moon mission in over five decades. The space agency has successfully rolled out its massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the launch pad, marking a crucial milestone for the Artemis II mission, which will send astronauts around the Moon for the first time since 1972.

NASA’s Moon Exploration After 5 Decades: Artemis Program Explained

NASA has officially begun the final phase of preparations for its long-awaited return to lunar exploration. On Saturday, the agency transported its 98-metre-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Centre, a move that brings NASA closer to launching astronauts beyond Earth’s orbit for the first time in more than 50 years.

This marks a major milestone in the Artemis program, which aims to re-establish a sustained human presence on the Moon and pave the way for future missions to Mars.

SLS Rocket Rolled Out to Launch Pad 39B

Slow but Historic Journey

The 98-metre rocket started its 1 mph (1.6 km/h) crawl from the vehicle assembly building at Kennedy Space Centre at dawn.
The carefully choreographed rollout took nearly the entire day, with the rocket completing its four-mile journey by dusk.

The Space Launch System rocket, standing 322 feet tall and weighing nearly 11 million pounds, was transported using a massive crawler-transporter — the same system historically used during the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.

Crowds Gather for a Milestone Moment

Thousands of NASA employees, their families, and space enthusiasts gathered in freezing early-morning conditions to witness the slow procession. The moment was symbolic, representing years of engineering work and delays in the Artemis program finally coming together.

A specially upgraded transporter carried the combined 5 million-kilogram weight of the rocket and Orion crew capsule, having been reinforced to handle the SLS’s unprecedented mass.

What Is the Artemis II Mission?

NASA’s First Crewed Moon Mission Since 1972

The SLS rocket will be used for NASA's first crewed voyage outside of Earth's orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, officially known as Artemis II.

Unlike later missions, Artemis II will not attempt a Moon landing. Instead, it will serve as a critical test flight for human deep-space travel.

Astronaut Crew of Artemis II

The mission will carry four astronauts:

• Reid Wiseman – Commander

• Victor Glover – Pilot

• Christina Koch – Mission Specialist

• Jeremy Hansen – Mission Specialist (Canada)

The crew will travel around the Moon for approximately 10 days before returning to Earth, without entering lunar orbit or landing on the surface.

Why Artemis II Is Different

“This one feels a lot different, putting crew on the rocket and taking the crew around the moon,” NASA’s John Honeycutt told the AP News.

The mission represents humanity’s return to lunar space after more than half a century. The last astronauts to visit the Moon were Harrison Schmitt and Gene Cernan, who completed the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Earlier, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first of 12 astronauts to walk on the Moon in 1969.

Previous Artemis Test Flight

An uncrewed Orion capsule was launched during the first and only previous SLS mission in November 2022, successfully orbiting the Moon and returning to Earth. Artemis II builds directly on the success of that mission, adding astronauts to the spacecraft for the first time.

Final Tests Before Launch

Wet Dress Rehearsal in February

Once positioned at the launch pad, engineers will begin final system checks and testing. A critical upcoming step is the “wet dress rehearsal”, a full fueling and countdown simulation scheduled for early February.

NASA has confirmed that no official launch date will be announced until all tests are completed successfully.

What Comes Next for NASA’s Moon Program

If Artemis II proceeds as planned, it will clear the path for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon — including the first woman and first person of colour — later in the decade. The broader Artemis program is seen as the foundation for long-term lunar exploration and future crewed missions to Mars.