NASA’s Massive Artemis I Moon Rocket Arrives at Launch Pad Ahead of Tanking Test

NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket – carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 – is reflected in the water as it approaches Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2022. The rocket rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building in the early morning hours to travel the 4.2 miles to the launch pad for NASA’s next wet dress rehearsal attempt ahead of the Artemis I launch. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

At approximately 8:20 a.m. EDT on June 6, 2022, NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket arrived at the spaceport’s launch complex 39B after an eight-hour journey ahead of the next wet dress rehearsal attempt. It began the journey about 8 hours earlier, at approximately 12:10 a.m. EDT on June 6 (9:10 p.m. PDT on June 5), at Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).

As the Sun rises, NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket – carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 – approaches Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2022. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

A couple of months ago, the first rollout of the Artemis I rocket began on March 17, 2022, arriving at the launch pad for the first time on March 18. After three separate attempts at fueling the without successful completion, the rocket was packed up and departed the launch pad to be transported back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

: NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket – carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 – rolls out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2022, beginning the 4.2-mile journey to Launch Complex 39B. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

: In this view looking up, NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket and mobile launcher – carried atop the crawler-transporter 2 – can be seen following their arrival at Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 6, 2022. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

: In this view looking up, NASA’s crawler-transporter 2 can be seen bearing the weight of the agency’s Artemis I Moon rocket and mobile launcher as it carries the duo to Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B in Florida on June 6, 2022. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Teams will work to secure the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft and mobile launcher to ground support equipment at the launch pad and ensure that the rocket is in a safe configuration in preparation of the upcoming tanking test. NASA is streaming a live view of the rocket and spacecraft at the pad on the Kennedy Newsroom YouTube channel:

Artemis I Wet Dress Rehearsal stream.