NASA has confirmed the upcoming milestones for its historic Artemis II mission—the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, sending four astronauts on a lunar flyby for the first time in over 50 years—with rollout and Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) to set the stage for a potential launch in February.

Impressive scenes show the huge rocket set to carry astronauts around the Moon next month. NASA has shown off final preparation for the Artemis II mission to return humans to the vicinity of the Moon for the first time in more than half a century.

Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos.

"It’s amazing to think that this thing I have been working on in various capacities for the last eight years is about to send four astronauts around the moon for the first time in a half-century.”

People who have the right to step inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the Kennedy Space Center are treated these days to an impressive sight: the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying on its top the Orion spacecraft. And it's not just any ...