NASA has officially begun a high-stakes, two-day practice countdown for its new moon rocket, marking a pivotal moment in the quest to return humans to lunar orbit.
This "wet dress rehearsal" involves the complex process of fueling the 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and serves as the final major hurdle before a crewed launch is authorized.
The mission, which represents the first human voyage to the moon since the conclusion of the Apollo program in 1972, will carry a crew of four—including Commander Reid Wiseman and astronauts from the U.S. and Canada. The crew is currently in pre-launch quarantine to ensure they remain healthy for the 10-day journey.
Scheduled for Monday, teams will pump over 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant into the rocket. The countdown will proceed until just 30 seconds before ignition to test all systems under flight-like conditions.
While a bitter cold spell caused a 48-hour delay, NASA has identified February 8 as the earliest possible launch date, provided the fueling demonstration is successful.
The Orion capsule will carry the astronauts on a lunar flyby, slingshotting around the moon before performing a direct return and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
This mission bridges a 50-year gap in lunar exploration. While 24 Apollo astronauts reached the moon between 1968 and 1972, this new era aims to establish a more sustainable presence.
The crew is currently monitoring the rehearsal from Houston and will depart for the Kennedy Space Center once the SLS rocket receives its final flight clearance.
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