So, what does it look like when humanity prepares to head back to the Moon after half a century?
Picture this: NASA’s 98-metre-tall mega rocket slowly rolling through Cape Canaveral, inch by inch, on a massive crawler.
It took nearly 12 hours — but now, the Space Launch System is finally parked at Launch Pad 39B, ready for history.
This rocket will power Artemis II, the first crewed Moon mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.
If all goes well, four astronauts will spend 10 days in space, flying around the Moon and venturing farther than any humans before.
Launch could happen as early as 6 February, though NASA has backup windows stretching into spring.
Final Launch Preparations
Next up? Final checks and a “wet dress rehearsal” — essentially a full practice run with fuel and countdowns.
The crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — watched the rollout in person.
Koch summed it up perfectly: astronauts stay calm on launch day, she said, because “we’re just so ready to fulfil the mission.”
Behind the scenes, Europe is playing a crucial role.
The European Service Module, built by Airbus, provides power, propulsion, air, and water.
“We basically can’t get to the Moon without it,” explained Airbus engineer Sian Cleaver.
After years of delays, NASA insists it won’t rush. As mission chief John Honeycutt put it: “We’re going to fly when we’re ready.”
After all, going to the Moon is bold. Coming home safely is everything.
