NASA / Sean Duffy
Late last night, the Orion crew capsule Integrity was transported from Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Abort System Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida...where Integrity will be integrated with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis 2.
Despite the current U.S. government shutdown, NASA's plan to fly astronauts to the Moon for the first time since 1972 still remains on track for an NET February launch next year. Since NASA's social media accounts are temporarily inactive due to the shutdown, space aficionados will have to rely on pictures taken by NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy and KSC workers who post their photos of Artemis 2 launch preps on Twitter/X.
We'll see how long we'll have to wait for images showing Integrity finally attached to SLS to be posted online!
NASA / Sean Duffy
Artemis II your ride to the moon has arrived.
— Elisar Priel (@ENNEPS) October 17, 2025
NASA's Orion "Integrity" Capsule has rolled out from the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF), to the VAB at KSC for stacking atop the awaiting SLS rocket, ahead of launch early next year.@NASASpaceflight https://t.co/BEepgAJYUG pic.twitter.com/cDPgoBX3GR
The Orion spacecraft named 'Integrity', the final piece of the rocket that will fly the Artemis 2 mission next year, is now at the Vehicle Assembly Building. It will soon be stacked on the Space Launch System rocket and then teams will begin a series of tests and checkouts on the… pic.twitter.com/taqmQSLCBw
— Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) October 17, 2025
Orion has arrived in the VAB ahead of Artemis II, scheduled to fly a crew of four to the Moon NET February 2026 🏹 pic.twitter.com/Fark3pG4gO
— Harper Cheyenne 🚀 (@RocketGirlHarp) October 18, 2025
