Watch NASA's SLS Rocket Move Closer To Artemis II Moon Mission

Artemis II Core Stage Moves to High Bay 2

Although the launch is not expected until at least mid-2026, NASA is already deep into preparations for its eagerly awaited Artemis II mission.

The mission will feature the Orion spacecraft, which will carry its first crew towards the moon, propelled by NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. After launching, the Orion will pass within 80 miles of the lunar surface, orbit around the moon, and make its way back home.

This week, NASA released a time-lapse video showing the 212-foot core stage of the rocket being moved from a horizontal to an upright position in High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building, located within NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“With the move to High Bay 2, NASA and Boeing technicians now have 360-degree access to the core stage both internally and externally,” the agency noted in its video commentary.

The core stage of NASA's SLS rocket. — The core stage of NASA’s SLS rocket inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA

The core stage of the SLS rocket is a crucial part of the vehicle, serving as the primary booster and supporting the entire structure when launching payloads into space. It holds both the payload and upper stages, as well as the avionics systems that manage flight operations.

This stage generates approximately 1.6 million pounds of thrust during launch, while its two side boosters contribute an additional 3.6 million pounds, leading to a total thrust output of around 8.8 million pounds. This makes it one of the most powerful rockets globally, although it pales in comparison to SpaceX’s Starship, which delivers a staggering 17 million pounds of thrust upon liftoff.

To date, NASA’s SLS rocket has completed only one flight, which occurred during the Artemis I mission in 2022. This mission rehearsed uncrewed operations ahead of Artemis II.

The SLS rocket is central to NASA’s overall Artemis program. Following a successful Artemis II mission, it will carry a crew into lunar orbit. The astronauts will then transfer to a SpaceX Starship for humanity’s first return to the lunar surface since 1972. Artemis III, the subsequent mission, was initially slated for 2026 but has recently been postponed to a date no earlier than 2027.