Kennedy Space Center Will Soon Begin Ground Preps for Artemis 3...

NASA / Kim Shiflett

NASA’s Mobile Launcher Arrives at Vehicle Assembly Building (News Release)

After successfully being used to launch the Artemis II lunar test flight on April 1, NASA’s Mobile Launcher is now inside NASA Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in Florida in preparation for the Artemis III test flight mission's rocket-stacking operations.

NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program rolled the launcher on a 4-mile trek from Launch Complex 39B to the VAB along the crawlerway on April 16. The trip, which normally takes eight to 12 hours on top of the agency’s Crawler-Transporter 2, had several built-in pauses to allow teams to rest. The launcher arrived inside the VAB at 11:40 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 17.

Standing at 380 feet tall, the Mobile Launcher – which will be used to assemble, process and launch the Artemis III mission’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft – contains all of the connection lines, known as umbilicals, and ground support equipment that will provide the rocket and spacecraft with the power, communications, fuel and coolant necessary for launch. This was the Mobile Launcher’s last solo trek out to the launch pad ahead of integration of the SLS rocket, and it will remain inside the VAB until it is ready to return to the pad with the rocket.

Now inside the VAB, technicians and engineers will finish conducting Artemis II post-launch inspections and repairs in preparation for the Artemis III mission next year.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / John Kraus


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: THE ARTEMIS 2 CREW IS SAFELY BACK ON EARTH!

NASA \ Josh Valcarcel

Over nine days after embarking on their historic lunar trip from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Artemis 2 astronauts are safely back on Earth! Their Orion capsule Integrity successfully splashed down into the Pacific Ocean 50 miles off the coast of San Diego at 5:07 pm, PDT yesterday.

A few hours after splashdown, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen were transported back to shore by way of helicopters from the U.S. Navy recovery ship, USS John P. Murtha. The Artemis 2 crew then took a NASA charter jet back to Houston to reunite with their families. Navy personnel fully secured Integrity inside the well deck of the John P. Murtha earlier this morning.

With Artemis 2 now in the history books, NASA is looking ahead to Artemis 3...which is scheduled to launch on an Earth-orbiting test flight later next year! The core stage booster for Artemis 3's Space Launch System rocket will roll out of NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans on April 20th—in preparation for its trip to Kennedy Space Center to complete final assembly and eventual launch preps. Stay tuned!


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NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Bill Ingalls


Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David Rowe


Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class David Rowe


NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Bill Ingalls


NASA / Bill Ingalls


NASA / Joel Kowsky


NASA / Joel Kowsky

Do you have rocket fever? We have something for that.

Digital creators and social media storytellers are invited to register to attend the rollout of the Artemis III core stage from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans later this month. Registration is open from April… pic.twitter.com/fJwP00uhEi

— NASA (@NASA) April 7, 2026

Celebrating Artemis 2 Here in SoCal...

Richard T. Par

As NASA's latest voyage to the Moon comes to an end later today, just thought I'd share these photos that I took as Artemis 2 was celebrated here in Los Angeles County.

In the images directly above and below, the Fox Theater in the city of Pomona—the hometown of Artemis 2 pilot Victor Glover—honored Glover on the marquee sign above the theater's entrance. I should've taken this picture at night...as the neon lights at this theater would've made this photo look more interesting! Not that it needs to be more interesting; Pomona should be proud of the fact that one of its own, who is also the first African-American astronaut to leave Earth's gravity, flew to the Moon!

And the last two pictures in this entry are of the two Krispy Kreme doughnuts I bought that commemorated Artemis 2 during a special offer which began on March 31 and ends today. The doughnuts were delicious—but for health reasons, I definitely should only buy one next time. And as for the Artemis baseball cap, I do recall that I bought it online at The Space Store a few years back.

Have a nice weekend, everyone...and Godspeed on your safe return to Earth, Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy!


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par


Richard T. Par

PHOTOS OF THE DAY: THE ARTEMIS 2 ASTRONAUTS COMPLETE THEIR HISTORIC FLYBY OF THE MOON...

NASA

I'm at a loss for words in terms of what to say about all of these amazing images that were taken by the Artemis 2 astronauts during their historic lunar flyby yesterday, so I'll let these pictures do most of the talking!

From 'Earthset' photos to otherwordly images of the Orion spacecraft passing behind the Moon during a solar eclipse that couldn't be witnessed by anyone here on Earth, this treasure trove of pictures will obviously be gracing science and history books for generations to come. Well-done, Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy!


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A Momentous Milestone for the Second Flight of SLS Has Been Achieved...

NASA / Keegan Barber

NASA’s Moonbound Artemis II Rocket Reaches Launch Pad (News Release)

At 6:42 p.m. EST on Saturday, January 17, NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft reached Launch Complex 39B after a nearly 12-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Hours earlier, NASA’s Crawler-Transporter 2 began its 4-mile trek with the integrated SLS and Orion stacked on top. Moving at a maximum speed of just 0.82 mph, the crawler carried the towering Moon rocket and spacecraft slowly but surely toward the pad.

Once outside the VAB’s high-bay doors, the rocket made a planned pause allowing teams to reposition the crew access arm – a bridge that provides astronauts and a closeout crew access to Orion on launch day.

In the coming days, engineers and technicians will prepare the Artemis II rocket for the wet dress rehearsal, a test of fueling operations and countdown procedures. Targeted for no later than February 2, the team will load the rocket with cryogenic, or super-cold, propellants, run through the countdown, and practice safely draining the propellants from the rocket – all essential steps before the first crewed Artemis mission.

Additional wet dress rehearsals may be required to ensure that the vehicle is completely checked out and ready for flight. If needed, NASA may roll back SLS and Orion to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional work ahead of launch after the wet dress rehearsal.

The Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon and back. It is another step towards new U.S.-crewed missions to the Moon’s surface, leading to a sustained presence on the Moon that will help the agency prepare to send the first astronauts – Americans – to Mars.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Reid Wiseman


NASA / Sam Lott


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NASA / Keegan Barber


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NASA / Keegan Barber


NASA / Aubrey Gemignani


NASA / Aubrey Gemignani


NASA / Keegan Barber


NASA / Keegan Barber


NASA / Aubrey Gemignani


NASA / Keegan Barber


NASA / Brandon Hancock

The Latest Step Is Taken to Prep for the Second SLS Rocket's Journey to LC-39B This Week...

NASA / Ben Smegelsky

Crawler Preps for Entry into VAB for Artemis II Rollout Ops (Photo Release - January 9)

NASA’s Crawler-Transporter 2 moves toward the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, January 9, 2026.

The crawler will transport NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft to Launch Complex 39B ahead of the Artemis II launch - which will journey Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than April 2026.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Ben Smegelsky


NASA / Ben Smegelsky


NASA / Ben Smegelsky