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NASA is running a high‑stakes dress‑rehearsal countdown for Artemis II, the first mission to send astronauts toward the Moon in more than half a century. The two‑day test is a full simulation of launch day,

NASA is preparing to roll out its towering Artemis 2 moon rocket to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 17, and we will have full coverage of the major event here. The Artemis 2 moon rocket consists of NASA's second Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft,

The Moon is seen shining over the SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft, on top of the mobile launcher on Feb. 1, 2026. The rocket is

The delay pushes back the spacecraft's wet dress rehearsal — a critical pre-launch test — and moves the earliest possible launch date to Sunday, Feb. 8. NASA emphasized that no official launch date will be set until teams have completed their review of the rehearsal results.

Due to the dynamic nature of spaceflight, the Artemis II launch date may shift. The Cosmosphere’s Artemis II Launch Watch Party is planned to align with the official NASA launch attempt, and guests are encouraged to follow NASA and Cosmosphere communication channels for the latest updates as the mission approaches.

After evacuating four astronauts from the ISS last month, NASA is looking ahead to its next crewed mission to the space station