NASA's Space Launch System Rollout a Success! Next Stop: The Moon

NASA is preparing the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft in the Launch Pad 39B. This is a significant event that means Artemis I is getting closer to launching.

NASA Artemis I Rollout

NASA is getting closer to the moon! The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft have been moved to the Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

As reported by Space.com, the SLS and Orion have slowly rolled out towards the launch pad and will fully arrive in the early predawn hours tomorrow (March 18).

Once the SLS and Orion are positioned at the launch pad, NASA's Artemis team will begin the procedure of raising the rocket and spacecraft into their launch positions.

The rollout of these space vehicles today marks a significant and critical step in successfully returning back to the moon.

NASA Artemis is the mission of the space agency to bring back humans to the moon. NASA Artemis has three stages, Artemis I, Artemis II, and Artemis III.

The SLS and Orion rollout in the Launch Pad 39B is NASA's preparation for the uncrewed mission of Artemis I.

NASA Artemis I: Wet Dress Rehearsal

Once positioned at the launch pad, Artemis engineers will now conduct their final test called the Wet Dress Rehearsal.

Before the Artemis I launch, it is an important step to test the rocket for its rehearsals first to assure every part of it functions as intended.

The wet dress rehearsal conducted at the Launch Pad 39B is estimated to last for two days.

The wet dress rehearsal will allow the Artemis team to go through its operations and test the load propellant into the tank of SLS, test a full launch countdown, test the capability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice the timelines and procedures the team will utilize for launch.

According to NASA:

"Team will staff the Launch Control Center at Kennedy and connect with staff in the Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the Space Force Eastern Range, and the SLS Engineering Support Center at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Launch controllers will power on different rocket and spacecraft systems, along with ground support equipment."

In the course of the approximately two-day wet dress rehearsal test, the NASA Artemis team will begin by activating the facilities required for launch and formally initiating the countdown sequence to the launch.

There is no date yet as to when the Artemis I will be launched. NASA stated that before announcing a date for the Artemis I launch, the data gathered from the series of tests of the SLS and Orion needs to be analyzed and considered before setting it to launch.

NASA to the Moon: SLS Rocket

NASA's next chapter of lunar exploration is called Artemis. To be able to successfully launch the astronauts safely along with extremely heavy payloads, NASA designed and built the Space Launch System.

The Space Launch System is the biggest and largest space rocket to date. It is composed of several parts with each part having different functions.

Below the Orion spacecraft is the cargo hold, under it is the exploration upper stage, a massive core stage with four RS-25 engines, and two extended solid rocket boosters attached on the side of the SLS rocket.

NASA's current SLS rocket exceeds the greatness of the Saturn V. The Saturn V rocket was also known to be a Heavy Lift Vehicle. It was first launched in 1967 and was used until 1973 to land astronauts on the moon. In the launch pad, the SLS rocket weighs 6M, and 5.2 of that is all fuel.

Combining all the parts of the SLS space rocket, it becomes the world's most powerful rocket ever built.