Artemis II, the manned mission that will orbit the Moon, enters its preparation stage

NASA has entered its preparation phase and will soon move its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center for the first time.

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According to the Andina agency, it is estimated that this transfer can begin on Saturday, January 17, in a trip of almost 6.5 kilometers (around 12 hours).

Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, has noted that the launch “is just around the corner.” “We have important steps left on our path to launch, and the safety of the crew will remain our top priority at all times,” he said.

Only one problem has been detected in the preparation of the transfer: a cable related to the flight termination system that was bent against specifications. Changes have been made, even to the Orion hatch.

Once the transfer is completed, verification for preparations on the launch pad will begin. Everything so that at the end of January a general rehearsal will be carried out, with fuel circulation (700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel in the rocket), although without the crew.

The team that will be on the mission is made up of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

When will the launch be? A fixed date cannot be established, however there are estimates that engineers have made based on the conditions of the spacecraft and the rocket as well as the complex orbital mechanics. That is, there must be a precise path toward the Moon while the Earth rotates on its axis.

The launch periods have been estimated until April of this year. There are up to three periods, each with four or five days of launch opportunity. Even the weather conditions must be evaluated. That is, it is not a simple movement. Everything must be measured.