NASA’s mega rocket has been moved to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, marking a major milestone in preparations for the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.

Standing 98 metres tall, the Space Launch System (SLS) was transported vertically from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, a journey of four miles that took nearly 12 hours. The rocket was carried by a crawler-transporter travelling at a top speed of 0.82 mph, with the slow-moving rollout broadcast live.

Now positioned at the pad, the rocket will undergo final tests, system checks and a “wet dress rehearsal,” which will simulate fueling and countdown procedures, before final approval is given for the 10-day Artemis II mission.

NASA said the earliest possible launch date is 6 February, with additional launch windows available later in February, March and April.

Artemis II will carry four astronauts—NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—on a mission that will take them around the Moon. The crew were present at the space center to witness the rocket’s rollout.

The mission will be the first crewed journey to the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972. While Artemis II will not land on the lunar surface, it will pave the way for future missions, including Artemis III, which aims to return humans to the Moon’s south pole no earlier than 2027.

During the mission, the crew will spend the first two days orbiting Earth before travelling nearly a quarter of a million miles to the Moon. They will conduct scientific experiments and spend three hours observing the lunar surface, capturing images and studying its geology to support future landing missions.

A critical component of the Orion spacecraft, the European Service Module, was built in Germany by Airbus as part of the European Space Agency’s contribution. The module provides propulsion, power, air, and water essential for the astronauts’ survival during the mission.

NASA officials stressed that safety remains the top priority despite years of delays. “We’re going to fly when we’re ready,” said Artemis mission management chair John Honeycutt, adding that the safe return of the crew is the agency’s foremost concern.