NASA Completes Artemis II SLS Rocket Stacking at Kennedy Space Center

NASA has achieved a significant milestone by stacking the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at Kennedy Space Center, marking a critical step toward the Artemis II mission, slated for launch as early as February 2026. This mission will send four astronauts, including NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey orbiting the Moon without landing, the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy highlighted the integration as a demonstration of American leadership in space, with teams now focused on completing electrical, data, and umbilical connections and preparing for comprehensive tests before the launch. The Artemis II mission aims to validate the Orion spacecraft’s systems in lunar orbit, paving the way for a sustainable human presence on the Moon, with a potential lunar surface landing planned for 2027. Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor, has developed the Orion crew module and safety systems, emphasizing the spacecraft’s advanced design for deep space exploration. This milestone underscores the culmination of years of meticulous planning and technical effort by NASA and its partners to safely return humans to lunar orbit and eventually the Moon's surface.