Nasa has begun moving its Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft back to the launch pad in Florida, ahead of a planned crewed flyby of the Moon. The manoeuvre, which can take up to 12 hours, started at 8pm local time on Wednesday, with the immense orange-and-white vehicle slowly transported from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39B, a distance of about four miles.
The agency hopes to open its next launch window on 1 April, with several further opportunities in the days that follow. Engineers recently completed repairs after detecting a helium flow issue, which forced the 5,000-tonne stack to be rolled back for investigation and delayed a March launch attempt.
If all tests prove satisfactory, three American astronauts and one Canadian will travel around the Moon on a mission lasting approximately ten days. This would mark the first crewed lunar flyby in more than half a century and a significant step toward returning humans to the lunar surface, a goal first announced by President Donald Trump.
The program has faced a series of technical setbacks, including a liquid hydrogen leak that prematurely ended a wet dress rehearsal. Nasa is now optimistic that the Artemis 2 mission will lift off in early April, with the crew having entered quarantine in Houston on Wednesday as part of final preparations.
