Kennedy Space Center Archives - Page 2 of 24

February 9, 2026

Crew 12 Launch Now NET Thursday, February 12

File photo of Crew 11's ascent. Photo: Charles Boyer — File photo of Crew 11’s ascent. Photo: Charles Boyer

A Wednesday launch attempt for NASA’s Crew-12 mission has been scrubbed due to unfavorable weather along the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon spacecraft’s flight path, pushing the next opportunity to no earlier than 5:38 AM ET on Thursday, Feb. 12th.

Following a weather review Monday, mission teams opted to stand down from the February 11 window. Conditions along the trajectory remain a concern for the new target date, though forecasters expect improvement heading into a backup window on Friday, February 13th.

The four-person crew — NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev — continues pre-flight quarantine at Kennedy Space Center as they await their ride to the International Space Station.

Next Launch: Falcon 9 Block 5 | Crew-12

Go for Launch • Cape Canaveral SFS, FL • SLC-40

Field	Details
Mission	Crew-12 (crewed Dragon mission to the ISS for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program)
Organization	SpaceX
Rocket	Falcon 9
Launch Site	Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA
Pad	Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40)
Window Opens	Thursday, 02/12/2026 5:38:00 AM (ET)
Window Closes	Thursday, 02/12/2026 5:38:00 AM (ET)
Destination	Low Earth Orbit
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Mission Description	SpaceX Crew-12 is the twelfth crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
Countdown (to window open)	—

As of: — (your local time)

Launch times are subject to change due to weather, range operations, and mission requirements.

The mission will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. If the Thursday window holds, the crew would dock with the station around 10:30 AM ET on Friday.

Range Conflict?

With NASA’s announcement that Crew 12 would now target Thursday, February 12, a potential range conflict comes into focus: United Launch Alliance and the US Space Force plan to launch Vulcan on a national security mission at roughly the same time on Thursday.

Next Launch: Vulcan VC4S | USSF-87

Go for Launch • Cape Canaveral SFS, FL • SLC-41

Field	Details
Mission	USSF-87 (two GSSAP space situational awareness satellites to near-geosynchronous orbit)
Organization	United Launch Alliance
Rocket	Vulcan VC4S
Launch Site	Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA
Pad	Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41)
Window Opens	Thursday, 02/12/2026 3:00:00 AM (ET)
Window Closes	Thursday, 02/12/2026 7:50:00 AM (ET)
Destination	Geostationary Orbit
Status Info	Current T-0 confirmed by official or reliable sources.
Mission Description	USSF-87 will launch two identical Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites, GSSAP-7 and GSSAP-8, directly to a near-geosynchronous orbit approximately 36,000 km above the equator. Data from GSSAP will contribute to timely and accurate orbital predictions, improving spaceflight safety and satellite collision avoidance.
Countdown (to window open)	—

As of: — (your local time)

Launch times are subject to change due to weather, range operations, and mission requirements.

Given NASA’s announcement, one must wonder if the date for USSF-87 will change, or if ULA and the Space Force will stand pat, expecting a second change to Crew 12.

Stay tuned.

February 8, 2026

NASA Conducts Repairs At LC-39A, Fine Tunes Objectives For Second Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal

When NASA wrapped up the first Artemis II wet dress rehearsal on February 3 at Kennedy Space Center, they had successfully filled the SLS rocket’s tanks with cryogenic propellant. That was the good news, but the less welcome bad news was that the test revealed higher-than-allowable hydrogen gas leaks at the Tail Service Mast Unit on the launch pad. Obviously, those leaks must be repaired before a launch attempt.

NASA Stream from the first Wet Dress Rehearsal indicated full LH2 and LOX tanks on SLS. Credit: NASA

The Work For WDR-2 Started As Soon As WDR-1 Was Completed

Not long after propellant draining was complete after WDR-1, technicians began working to access the TSMU umbilical. They detached both the rocket-side and ground-side interface plates to inspect the area where elevated hydrogen levels were detected, and replaced seals around two fueling lines.

The two tail service masts — each about three stories tall — provide the cryogenic propellant lines and electrical cable connections to the SLS core stage. They tilt back before launch and include “quick disconnects” — mechanisms that instantaneously detach at liftoff to ensure safe retraction.

Reconnecting the interfaces is expected to be complete by Monday, Feb. 9. Engineers are still evaluating the root cause of the leak, and the removed seals are being analyzed. NASA also plans additional testing at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to evaluate the dynamics of the interface plates. Engineers are reviewing options to verify the repair before committing to the next full wet dress rehearsal.

Repairs For WDR-2

Here’s a breakdown of the repairs underway and the operational changes NASA is making for WDR-2:

Five Key Changes for the Next Rehearsal

Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal | Kennedy Space Center

Type	Change	Details
Hardware Fix	Two seals replaced	Seals replaced around fueling lines at the tail service mast umbilical where hydrogen concentrations exceeded allowable levels. Removed seals are being analyzed and additional plate dynamics testing is planned at Stennis.
Operations	Orion hatch closed before test	The crew module hatch will be sealed prior to the rehearsal. The closeout crew — who on launch day help astronauts into their seats and close both Orion hatches — will not be deployed to the pad.
Operations	Crew access arm stays extended	The arm will not be retracted during the next rehearsal. Engineers successfully demonstrated during the Feb. 3 test that the ground launch sequencer can retract it during the final countdown phase, so that objective is already complete.
Timeline	One extra hour in countdown	NASA has added 30 minutes of extra hold time at each of two planned holds — one before and one after tanking operations — to allow more time for troubleshooting. The total countdown is now one hour longer. This does not affect the crew’s launch-day timeline.
Focus Shift	Rehearsal focused on fueling	With the crew access arm retraction and other pad objectives already demonstrated, the next WDR will concentrate on tanking operations and verifying the hydrogen leak repair.

Source: NASA, “NASA Conducts Repairs, Analysis Ahead of Next Artemis II Fueling Test,” Feb. 8, 2026

NASA continues to eye March as the next potential launch opportunity but will not set a targeted launch date until after completing a successful wet dress rehearsal and reviewing the data. The critical second WDR is set to start as soon as this Friday, February 13th.

February 6, 2026

SpaceX Building Cyclotron Particle Accelerator In Florida

The K150 Cyclotron at Texas A&M Photo credit: CERN

SpaceX plans to build a particle accelerator facility in Florida. The 230 MeV cyclotron will accelerate protons to near-light speed, which the company says will be used to bring radiation effects testing in-house across all of its vehicles and satellite platforms.

The facility was confirmed by Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink, who posted on X on February 5 that the company is “hiring elite engineers at our new 230 MeV cyclotron facility in Florida, where we are bringing single-event radiation testing in house to accelerate development across all SpaceX vehicles.”

A job posting from SpaceX on ZipRecruiter is looking for an Electronics Test Engineer, and provides additional details.

“As part of our continuous effort to vertically integrate and scale safe and rapid access to space as well as improve the baseline reliability of our multiple on-orbit mega-constellations, SpaceX has acquired a 230 MeV cyclotron to bring radiation single event effects testing in house,” the posting reads. “This proton particle accelerator will be used to screen and characterize electronics across all of our vehicles and platforms, unlocking unprecedented agility for chip and PCBA level performance characterization that will be critical as we build and scale our AI constellations and deep space exploration vehicles.“

The exact location of the facility within Florida has not been disclosed. The job posting mentions Winter Park, a town in the Orlando metroplex. SpaceX operates extensive facilities across the Space Coast, including launch sites at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 and the forthcoming SLC-37, along with the expanding Roberts Road complex where the company is constructing its Florida Gigabay manufacturing facility and Starfactory 2.0.

Radiation Dangers?

Ionizing radiation (gamma rays, X-Rays, etc.) is produced during cyclotron operation. There’s also the use of high voltages and strong magnetic fields, plus, in some cases, hazardous target gases or liquids. Facilities typically address these with thick concrete or earth shielding, restricted access zones, and rigorous safety protocols.

For the general public outside a properly shielded facility, the risk is essentially negligible. Radiation levels at the facility boundary are required to be well below regulatory limits. The fact is, the average Space Coast resident will receive a far higher annual radiation dose from Earth’s background radiation alone.

Space Coast Annual Background Radiation

Annual Background Radiation Dose — Florida’s Space Coast

Estimated dose for Brevard County residents (sea level, ~28.5°N latitude)

Radiation Source	Description	mSv/year
Cosmic Radiation	From deep space & solar particles Minimal at sea level; deflected by Earth’s magnetic field at low latitude	~0.26
Terrestrial Radiation	From soil, rock & sand Florida’s sandy coastal soils are among the lowest in the U.S.	~0.10–0.23
Radon & Thoron	Radioactive gas from ground decay Very low on the Space Coast — sandy soil, no basements, good ventilation	~0.50–1.00
Internal (Body)	Potassium-40, carbon-14 & other radionuclides Present in all humans regardless of location	~0.40
Food & Water	Trace radionuclides ingested daily Potassium in bananas, brazil nuts, seafood, etc.	~0.30
Estimated Space Coast Natural Background Total		~1.60–2.20

Sources: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), EPA Background Dose Calculator, NCRP Report 160, Florida Dept. of Health Bureau of Radiation Control. Radon estimate reflects typical Brevard County conditions; individual homes may vary.

Note: 1 mSv = 100 mrem. The U.S. national average from natural background sources is approximately 3.1 mSv/year (~6.2 mSv total when including medical exposure). The Space Coast’s estimated 1.6–2.2 mSv is well below the national average due to sea-level elevation and low-radioactivity sandy soils.

Talk of Titusville

Who Regulates A Cyclotron?

If a cyclotron were installed on Florida’s Space Coast, the primary regulatory authority would be the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control. Florida has been an “Agreement State” since 1964, when the Atomic Energy Commission (now the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) signed a formal agreement transferring authority over radioactive materials licensing and enforcement to the state.

Today the Bureau of Radiation Control licenses more than 1,800 users of radioactive materials across Florida, including hospitals, universities, and research institutions.

A cyclotron operator would need to obtain a specific radioactive materials license from this bureau before possessing or using any of the isotopes a cyclotron produces. The bureau also handles registration of the cyclotron itself as an ionizing radiation machine under Chapter 64E-5 of the Florida Administrative Code.

The NRC retains an oversight role, periodically auditing Florida’s program to ensure it meets federal safety standards, but the state bureau is the agency an operator would deal with directly for licensing, inspections, and enforcement.

Why Build This Now?

Until now, aerospace companies including SpaceX have relied on a small number of external facilities to perform this testing. The Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute’s Radiation Effects Facility and the 88-Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have been the primary U.S. facilities, serving clients including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and NASA — all competing for limited beam time.

Texas A&M’s facility tested nearly 100 electronic components for SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule during a three-year period leading up to the historic Demo-2 mission in May 2020, which launched astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station from KSC’s Pad 39A.

By building its own cyclotron, SpaceX eliminates the bottleneck of competing for beam time at shared facilities and gains the ability to test on its own schedule — a significant advantage given the pace at which the company iterates on hardware. SpaceX is currently producing new generations of Starlink satellites at a rapid clip, developing Starshield military variants, building the Starship Human Landing System for NASA’s Artemis program, and continuing to fly Dragon crew and cargo missions.

The natural radiation environment of space necessitates radiation testing for verification and improvements of the company’s product lines and is consistent with SpaceX’s broader strategy of aggressive vertical integration: if you can do it faster and cheaper internally, build it yourself.

February 6, 2026

Study On Implications Of Space Travel And Fertility Released

Maybe Elton John was right when he sang in his hit “Rocket Man” that “Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kid.” As humanity moves closer and closer to astronauts and colonists living off of the Earth, pregnancy and childbirth are inevitable. A new study looks at the subject and it raises some interesting risks as well as a call for more research.

Published February 3 in Reproductive BioMedicine Online, a new review, “Reproductive biomedicine in space: implications for gametogenesis, fertility and ethical considerations in the era of commercial spaceflight,” brings together nine international experts in reproductive health, aerospace medicine, and bioethics to consider the issue.

Their central finding is stark: despite more than 65 years of human spaceflight, remarkably little is known about how the space environment affects the reproductive systems of men and women during long-duration missions.

“More than 50 years ago, two scientific breakthroughs reshaped what was thought biologically and physically possible — the first Moon landing and the first proof of human fertilisation in vitro,” said lead author Giles Palmer, a clinical embryologist at the International IVF Initiative. “Now we argue that these once-separate revolutions are colliding in a practical and underexplored reality.”

Three Potential Threats

The review identifies a triad of hazards. Cosmic radiation is the most well-characterized: beyond Earth’s protective magnetosphere, astronauts are exposed to galactic cosmic rays and high-energy charged particles that current shielding cannot fully block.

Doses exceeding approximately 250 milliSieverts can disrupt sperm production, and chronic exposure may impair the hormonal signaling that governs testosterone and sperm quality. (The average dose on ISS is 13 to 27 millisieverts (mSv) per month.) For women, animal studies link radiation to menstrual disruption and elevated cancer risk, though reliable human data from long missions remains scarce.

Microgravity introduces a separate set of problems. Weightlessness removes a fundamental mechanical cue that influences hormonal regulation, gamete development, and early embryonic growth. Animal studies have shown decreased sperm motility, increased DNA fragmentation, and disrupted development under microgravity conditions. Notably, a complete mammalian reproductive cycle — from egg and sperm development through birth — has never been achieved in space.

Circadian disruption rounds out the triad. Astronauts on the ISS experience roughly 16 sunrises every 24 hours. On Earth, similar disruptions in shift workers are linked to menstrual irregularities, reduced fertility, and poor pregnancy outcomes. The molecular clock genes active in reproductive tissues are known to impair ovulation when thrown out of sync.

Data from the Space Shuttle era offers some reassurance: female astronauts’ subsequent pregnancy rates were comparable to age-matched women on Earth. But those missions were far shorter than what’s now planned for lunar and Mars exploration, and male reproductive outcomes in space remain poorly documented. Clearly, more study is needed.

Ethical Questions Remain

The review raises ethical questions that reach beyond medical risk. If a child were conceived and born under lunar or Martian gravity, their skeletal and muscular development would differ fundamentally from Earth-born humans. Such an individual might be physically unable to live under terrestrial gravity — a scenario the authors frame as one of the most profound considerations of the coming era.

“As human presence in space expands, reproductive health can no longer remain a policy blind spot,” said senior author Dr. Fathi Karouia, a research scientist at NASA. He called for international collaboration to close knowledge gaps before commercial and long-duration missions make these questions unavoidable.

Source

Palmer GA, Mathyk BA, Jones JA, et al. “Reproductive biomedicine in space: implications for gametogenesis, fertility and ethical considerations in the era of commercial spaceflight.” Reproductive BioMedicine Online, published online February 3, 2026.

DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2025.105431

February 6, 2026

Artemis II, Sunset Photos, February 1, 2026

February 4, 2026

Axiom Space Chosen To Fly Fifth Private Mission To ISS

Ax-3 On The Launch Pad Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Axiom Space has secured another trip to the International Space Station after NASA selected the Houston-based company for a fifth commercial crew mission to the orbital outpost.

Axiom Mission 5 could launch as early as January 2027 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with a four-person crew spending approximately two weeks conducting research and technology demonstrations aboard the station. The actual launch date will depend on spacecraft scheduling and ISS operational needs.

NASA chose Axiom through a competitive process outlined in the agency’s March 2025 Research Announcement. The selection continues a pattern of relying on private missions to maximize utilization of the aging laboratory before its eventual retirement.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman framed the announcement as proof that commercial human spaceflight has matured from proof-of-concept flights into routine operations—capabilities the agency views as essential groundwork for lunar and Martian expeditions.

The ISS Program Office sees these commercial visits as opportunities to cultivate new markets and validate technologies while preserving the station’s scientific and diplomatic functions. As NASA works toward handing off low Earth orbit operations to private providers, missions like Ax-5 serve as both revenue generators and testbeds for the post-ISS era.

As before, the mission will fly aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, launched by a Falcon 9.

Axiom Crews

Mission	Launch Date	Crew
Axiom-1	April 8, 2022	Michael López-Alegría (Cmdr) — USA/Spain Larry Connor (Pilot) — USA Eytan Stibbe (MS) — Israel Mark Pathy (MS) — Canada
Axiom-2	May 21, 2023	Peggy Whitson (Cmdr) — USA John Shoffner (Pilot) — USA Ali Alqarni (MS) — Saudi Arabia Rayyanah Barnawi (MS) — Saudi Arabia
Axiom-3	January 18, 2024	Michael López-Alegría (Cmdr) — USA/Spain Walter Villadei (Pilot) — Italy Alper Gezeravcı (MS) — Turkey Marcus Wandt (MS) — Sweden
Axiom-4	June 25, 2025	Peggy Whitson (Cmdr) — USA Shubhanshu Shukla (Pilot) — India Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (MS) — Poland Tibor Kapu (MS) — Hungary
Axiom-5	NET January 2027	Crew TBD

Axiom will nominate its crew roster for Axiom 5 to NASA for its approval and international partner agencies. Selected astronauts will then complete training alongside NASA personnel and the spacecraft operator before flight.

February 3, 2026

First Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal Completed; Launch Now NET March

Teams at Kennedy Space Center conducted and mostly completed a critical Wet Dress Rehearsal for the launch of the Artemis II rocket and ground support teams yesterday. The test was not without problems: Hydrogen leaks at the tail mast area of the pad and an issue closing Orion’s hatches bedeviled the tests, resulting in NASA announcing that the launch of the Artemis II mission is now no earlier than March 6, 2026.

“The Artemis II wet dress rehearsal countdown was terminated at the T-5:15 minute mark due to a liquid hydrogen leak at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical, which had experienced high concentrations of liquid hydrogen earlier in the countdown, as well,” NASA said.

A view of the Tail Mast and the retractable Liquid Hydrogen feed lines for SLS. Photo: NASA

In a press conference today, Artemis II Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said, “When we got into the LH₂ fast fill—which was around 12:29—is when we picked up our first leak in the SMU, in the cavity, which is where the flight and the ground plate come together. It’s that cavity in between. It’s in our eight-inch fill and drain line there. We have a QD that connects those two together.”

Charlie Blackwell-Thompson in today’s NASA press conference. Via NASA livestream

“It was similar to some of the signatures we saw during Artemis I. Our leak rate was a little bit higher—somewhere around 12 to 14%,” Blackwell-Thompson continued. “We tried a contingency procedure that we used during Artemis I: you let that QD warm up, you let the seal warm up, and you try it again. We did that a couple of times, worked our way through it, and were able to load the core stage all the way to replenish.”

When asked what items were missed in the Wet Dress Rehearsal, Blackwell-Thompson said, “What we didn’t get to do: we wanted to get through terminal count. We wanted to get inside terminal count, hold, and verify our three-minute hold capability—tanks in launch-ready state and you can hold them for up to three minutes.”

“We also wanted to demonstrate a recycle: come down, have a planned cutoff, come back and retarget a new T-0 within the launch window. Didn’t get a chance to do that.”

What’s Next

Before the March window, NASA’s engineers and mission managers will review data, equipment and procedures from the WDR yesterday and they will conduct a second Wet Dress Rehearsal before committing to a launch date. Of key interest are the Tail Mast interfaces that deliver LH₂ to the rocket’s propellant tanks.

“With the conclusion of the wet dress rehearsal today, we are moving off the February launch window and targeting March for the earliest possible launch of Artemis II,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said today. “With more than three years between SLS launches, we fully anticipated encountering challenges. That is precisely why we conduct a wet dress rehearsal. These tests are designed to surface issues before flight and set up launch day with the highest probability of success.”

Remaining Launch Windows

ARTEMIS II MISSION AVAILABILITY – SPRING 2026

(Subject to Adjustments)

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Launch Window Available

Launch Window Opening				Window
Date	Local Time	UTC	Lighting	Mins
Mar 6	8:29 PM EST	Mar 7, 01:29	2.05 hrs after sunset	120
Mar 7	8:57 PM EST	Mar 8, 01:57	2.51 hrs after sunset	120
Mar 8	10:56 PM EDT	Mar 9, 02:56	3.48 hrs after sunset	120
Mar 9	11:52 PM EDT	Mar 10, 03:52	4.40 hrs after sunset	120
Mar 10	12:48 AM EDT	Mar 10, 04:48	5.36 hrs after sunset	115
Apr 1	6:24 PM EDT	Apr 1, 22:24	1.28 hrs before sunset	120
Apr 3	8:00 PM EDT	Apr 4, 00:00	0.30 hrs after sunset	120
Apr 4	8:53 PM EDT	Apr 5, 00:53	1.17 hrs after sunset	120
Apr 5	9:40 PM EDT	Apr 6, 01:40	1.95 hrs after sunset	120
Apr 6	10:36 PM EDT	Apr 7, 02:36	2.87 hrs after sunset	120
Apr 30	6:06 PM EDT	Apr 30, 22:06	1.86 hrs before sunset	120

↔ Scroll table on mobile

As of: February 3, 2026 at 8:32 AM EST

The Good and The Bad

A liquid hydrogen leak at the LC-39B’s Tail Mast umbilical connection to SLS’s core stage forced engineers into a troubleshooting effort that pushed the countdown about two hours behind schedule. The team cycled through several repair attempts, first halting LH₂ flow, then letting the interface warm so seals could seat themselves properly, and finally by tweaking propellant flow rates before pressing ahead. Ultimately, they were successful in their efforts and got the 322-foot tall rocket fully fueled, but a great deal of time was lost during the effort.

NASA graphic from their livestream indicated that SLS was fully loaded with propellant by 5:45 PM ET

Secondly, a recently replaced valve tied to Orion’s crew hatch pressurization system needed to be retorqued, and closeout work ran longer than expected. NASA stated around 10 PM last night that, “The closeout crew remains in the White Room and has closed the Orion spacecraft’s crew module hatch. While performing seal pressurization checks on the counterbalance assembly, which could be used to help open the hatch, a valve associated with Orion’s hatch pressurization was inadvertently vented. The counterbalance assembly then needed to be repressurized to allow work to continue.”

Finally, communications issues from SLS to ground caused some issues and will need to be remediated prior to the next Wet Dress Rehearsal, much less any launch attempt in March.

Clearly, there’s some work to do before Artemis II will be ready to fly.

The Artemis II crew has been released from quarantine for the time being. Once a new potential launch date becomes clearer, they will return to quarantine and fly to Kennedy Space Center for final preparations prior to launch.

NASA has scheduled a 1 PM ET press conference to offer more details.

February 2, 2026

Artemis II, Night Shots, February 1, 2026

A few photos from February 1, 2026, of Artemis II from Beach Road at Kennedy Space Center.

February 1, 2026

Critical Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal Underway At KSC

The countdown for the Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal is underway at Kennedy Space Center. Yesterday at 8:13 PM ET, or L-48:40 hours, the simulated countdown began in preparation for a test launch window opening at 9 PM tomorrow, February 2nd.

Artemis II will not launch during this countdown, of course, as it is just a test countdown. The Artemis II crew will not be aboard during Orion the WDR.

Sometime around 1 AM ET Tuesday, or February 3rd, the WDR will conclude.

What Comes After The WDR

After the test cycle concludes, engineers and mission managers will review data gathered during the Wet Dress Rehearsal. This process may take a few days as each major system is reviewed. Since Artemis I, NASA has implemented changes to the liquid Hydrogen systems at LC-39B. That will be a particular area of concern, as H2 leaks bedeviled the Artemis I countdowns both in WDR and later on the night it launched.

After the Data Review, a Flight Readiness Review can be held, during which all aspects of the mission are reviewed: the SLS rocket, the Orion spacecraft, ground systems at the Cape, and the status of the recovery teams that would be first responders to a major anomaly, should one occur, and many others.

The FRR is last major review for the flight, and in it, the Artemis II management team will need to give the mission permission to proceed towards a launch. Only after that milestone is achieved will a launch date and time be announced by NASA.

The Wet Dress Rehearsal In Detail

L-49 Hours, 15 Minutes and Counting
Time	Activity
L-49H 15M	Launch team arrives on stations; countdown begins
L-48H 40M	Countdown clock begins
L-48H 45M – L-39H 45M	LOX/LH2 system preparations for vehicle loading
L-47H 30M – L-38H 30M	Fill water tank for sound suppression system
L-40H 30M – L-39H	Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) powered up
L-39H 30M – L-38H 45M	Core stage powered up
L-38H 45M – L-34H 30M	Final preparations of four RS-25 engines

L-34 Hours, 30 Minutes and Counting
Time	Activity
L-33H 45M – L-33H 10M	ICPS powered down
L-32H 30M – L-28H 30M	Charge Orion flight batteries to 100%
L-30H 30M – L-23H 30M	Charge core stage flight batteries
L-19H 30M – L-16H	Orion crew suit regulator leak checks
L-19H 15M – L-17H 45M	ICPS powered up for launch

L-15 Hours and Counting
Time	Activity
L-14H 30M – L-13H	All non-essential personnel leave Launch Complex 39B
L-13H 15M – L-11H 05M	Air-to-GN2 changeover and vehicle cavity inerting
L-12H 45M – L-11H 15M	Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) activation

L-11 Hours, 40 Minutes and Counting
Time	Activity
L-11H 35M – L-9H 20M	Built-in hold: 2 hours, 15 minutes
L-11H 40M – L-10H 30M	Weather and tanking briefing
L-10H 20M	Go/No-Go decision to begin tanking
L-10H 20M – L-9H	Orion cold soak
L-10H 10M – L-9H 50M	Core stage LOX transfer line chilldown
L-10H 10M – L-9H 25M	Core stage LH2 chilldown

L-10 Hours and Counting
Time	Activity
L-9H 50M – L-9H 10M	Core stage LOX main propulsion system chilldown
L-9H 25M – L-9H	Core stage LH2 slow fill start
L-9H 20M	Resume T-Clock from T-8H 10M
L-9H 10M – L-8H 55M	Core stage LOX slow fill
L-9H – L-7H 40M	Core stage LH2 fast fill
L-8H 55M – L-6H 10M	Core stage LOX fast fill
L-8H 45M – L-8H 10M	ICPS LH2 chilldown
L-8H 10M – L-7H 25M	ICPS LH2 fast fill start
L-7H 45M – L-6H	ICPS LOX main propulsion system chilldown
L-7H 40M – L-7H 30M	Core stage LH2 topping
L-7H 30M – terminal	Core stage LH2 replenish
L-7H 25M – L-7H 05M	ICPS LH2 vent and relief test
L-7H 05M – L-6H 55M	ICPS LH2 tank topping start
L-6H 50M – terminal	ICPS LH2 replenish
L-6H 10M – L-5H 40M	Orion communications system activated (RF to Mission Control)
L-6H 10M – L-5H 40M	Core stage LOX topping

L-6 Hours and Counting
Time	Activity
L-6H – L-5H 15M	ICPS LOX fast fill
L-5H 40M – terminal	Core stage LOX replenish
L-5H 40M	Stage pad rescue; closeout crew assemble
L-5H 15M – L-5H	ICPS LOX vent and relief test
L-5H – L-4H 40M	ICPS LOX topping
L-4H 40M – terminal	ICPS LOX replenish; all stages replenish
L-4H 40M	Built-in hold: 40 minutes
L-4H 40M – L-4H 25M	Closeout crew to white room
L-4H 30M – L-4H 20M	Crew Module hatch preps and closure
L-4H 20M – L-3H 20M	Counterbalance mechanism hatch seal/press decay checks
L-3H 20M – L-2H 40M	Crew Module hatch service panel install/closeouts
L-2H 40M – L-2H 20M	Launch Abort System (LAS) hatch closure for flight
L-1H 45M – L-1H 40M	Closeout crew departs Launch Complex 39B
L-1H 10M	Launch Director brief – Flight vehicle/TPS scan results with CICE

L-40 Minutes and Holding
Time	Activity
L-40M	Built-in hold: 30 minutes

L-25 Minutes and Holding
Time	Activity
L-25M	Transition team to Orion-to-Earth comm loop following final NTD briefing
L-16M	Launch Director polls team for “Go” for launch

T-10 Minutes – Terminal Count
Time	Activity
T-10M	Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) initiates terminal count
T-8M	Crew Access Arm retract
T-6M	GLS go for core stage tank pressurization; Orion set to internal power
T-5M 57S	Core stage LH2 terminate replenish
T-4M	GLS go for core stage APU start; APU starts; Core stage LOX terminate replenish
T-3M 30S	ICPS LOX terminate replenish
T-3M 10S	GLS go for purge sequence 4
T-2M 02S	ICPS switches to internal battery power
T-2M	Booster switches to internal battery power
T-1M 30S	Core stage switches to internal power; hold for 3-minute certification hold time verification
T-1M 20S	ICPS enters terminal countdown mode
T-50S	ICPS LH2 terminate replenish
T-33S	GLS sends “Go for Automated Launch Sequencer” command; GLS Cutoff/Recycle

Terminal Count Hold Rules:

Teams can hold at T-6M for the duration of the launch window (minus 6 minutes) without recycling.
Between T-6M and T-1M 30S: holds up to 3 minutes can resume; longer holds recycle to T-10M.
After T-1M 30S but before automated sequencer: recycle to T-10M if window permits.
After automated sequencer handover: any stop concludes the launch attempt for that day.

Source: Countdown Begins for Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal, NASA, January 31, 2026.

January 31, 2026

Update: Playalinda Closing During Artemis II Launch Campaign

The National Park Service has released an update concerning the status of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge during launch campaign for Artemis II

Playalinda Beach Hours Update – January 30, 2026

The National Park Service released this statement yesterday. Playalinda Beach is apparently now closed for the duration of the Artemis II launch campaign in February.

Attention Canaveral National Seashore Visitors

“Titusville—Canaveral National Seashore will be temporarily changing operating hours in the Playalinda District (Titusville) to support NASA and the Artemis II launch.

Beginning January 12th, Playalinda Beach operating hours will be 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. through January 30th.

Beginning January 31st through until the day of a successful launch, the entire Playalinda Beach District will be closed.

The seashore will resume normal operating hours (6:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.) the day after Artemis II successfully launches.”

For up-to-date information, visit the park’s Facebook and Instagram: @canaveralnatlseashore

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Update – January 30, 2026

As for MINWR, it looks like most of the site will be closed from February 8th, except for the north end up by the Mid-Course Radar Site and Haulover Bridge — far from any optimal view of the launch.

Attention Merritt Island NWR Visitors

“Kennedy Space Center security has informed us that they will close the roads leading into the Refuge at 4:30AM on Sunday 2/8. Only badged employees will be allowed to enter through the west entrance adjacent to Parrish Park and the Max Brewer Bridge. The Haulover canal bridge will also be raised, preventing access south of the canal. Those who enter by boat through the Haulover Canal will find the Mosquito Lagoon closed south of the canal. Conservation officers will be on the water enforcing this closure. These closures are for safety reasons.”

For up-to-date information, visit the refuge’s Facebookpage

The West Entrance to Kennedy Space Center on Beach Road.

Also worth noting:

Jan 17 – Feb 6 (or until launch):
The south gate of BioLab Road will remain closed. Vehicular traffic will be restricted at the intersection of BioLab Road and Max Hoeck Road/Trail.

Stay Tuned

It’s important to keep in mind that these dates and times will be updated often depending on when Artemis II is slated to launch. Consult the following pages for the most up to date information:

Canaveral National Seashore – Playlinda – National Park Service

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge – National Park Service