NASA has taken a giant leap forward with its new moon rocket, moving it to the launch pad in preparation for an historic astronaut mission set to blast off as early as February. Weighing over 11 million pounds, the massive Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule are being transported on a modified Apollo-era transporter that's been upgraded to accommodate the SLS rocket's unique size.
Thousands of workers and their families gathered in the pre-dawn chill to witness this milestone event, which marks the first lunar fly-around mission since 1972. The crew, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will embark on a 10-day journey to the moon's orbit, with the fourth crewed flight scheduled for several years later.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described the mission as "awe-inspiring," while John Honeycutt emphasized that this one feels different, putting crew members on the rocket and taking them around the moon. The team is ecstatic about the prospect of humans exploring the unknown beyond Earth's orbit, with astronaut Wiseman expressing his excitement to see humans at their farthest point from home.
The mission comes after years of delays, caused by issues such as heat shield damage and capsule problems during the initial test flight. NASA has since conducted extensive analyses and tests, paving the way for this momentous occasion. The agency is now poised to conduct a fueling test on the pad in early February before confirming a launch date.
With only five days left in the first half of February, NASA is working against the clock to ensure a successful mission. If all goes according to plan, this historic journey will mark a major milestone for humanity's return to the moon.
Thousands of workers and their families gathered in the pre-dawn chill to witness this milestone event, which marks the first lunar fly-around mission since 1972. The crew, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will embark on a 10-day journey to the moon's orbit, with the fourth crewed flight scheduled for several years later.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described the mission as "awe-inspiring," while John Honeycutt emphasized that this one feels different, putting crew members on the rocket and taking them around the moon. The team is ecstatic about the prospect of humans exploring the unknown beyond Earth's orbit, with astronaut Wiseman expressing his excitement to see humans at their farthest point from home.
The mission comes after years of delays, caused by issues such as heat shield damage and capsule problems during the initial test flight. NASA has since conducted extensive analyses and tests, paving the way for this momentous occasion. The agency is now poised to conduct a fueling test on the pad in early February before confirming a launch date.
With only five days left in the first half of February, NASA is working against the clock to ensure a successful mission. If all goes according to plan, this historic journey will mark a major milestone for humanity's return to the moon.
. It feels like a whole different era when you think about 1972 being the last time anyone was on the lunar surface 
. The amount of work and resources that NASA put into this mission is insane, I mean 11 million pounds for a rocket? That’s just crazy! 
And it's not just the tech that's impressive, but also the people behind it - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen... they're all super accomplished astronauts 
. The fact that NASA is pushing through these delays and finally getting this mission off the ground is a testament to their dedication 
. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly in February! 
and John Honeycutt's right, this feels different. Like, the crew's on board the rocket and they're gonna take us around the moon? that's next-level cool 
can't wait to see how this all plays out! 
. Reid Wiseman seems so chill about it tho 
been following these developments for years and its both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time... the thought of humans exploring the unknown is mind-blowing, but also a bit intimidating 
just thinking about humans actually going back to the moon is giving me goosebumps. been following these developments and its crazy how far nasa has come since those days of heat shield damage and capsule problems. they really had to push through some challenges but it looks like all their hard work paid off. 
. I mean, it's not just about reaching the moon, but about what comes next – exploring space like humans never have before 
. Can you even imagine being one of those astronauts, witnessing the Earth from the moon, feeling weightless in space? Mind-blowing stuff 
. And the fact that they've overcome so many obstacles to get here – heat shield damage, capsule problems... it's like a real-life video game, where you have to level up to achieve victory 
. NASA's been working tirelessly, and now it's all about executing this mission flawlessly 
. Wish them good luck; we're all rooting for them! 
. I mean, 1972 was a huge deal already, but now we're talking about humans exploring beyond our orbit? It gives me goosebumps 
! The fact that they're doing a fly-around mission first is genius - it's like, get a feel for it before making the big jump, you know? 
And I love how everyone involved seems so hyped and passionate about this mission 
. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly and we can see some amazing footage of the crew in action 
!
. Can't wait to see Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy blasting off into the great unknown 
. It's always something with NASA - delays, funding issues, heat shields... it's like they're trying to make a simple mission complicated 
. And don't even get me started on how much I dislike scrolling through all these generic images of rockets and astronauts 
. Can't we just have some actual news and updates instead of the usual fluff? 
At least the crew seems excited about this mission - Reid Wiseman's enthusiasm is kinda contagious 
. Still, it feels like a ticking time bomb over here - only five days left before launch and they still need to do a fueling test 
. It's been ages since we've seen humans venture that far from Earth and it's crazy to think about how close we are to exploring beyond our orbit 
. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and we get to see humans set foot on the moon again soon 
. Can you imagine being part of a crew like that, experiencing weightlessness and seeing the Earth from a whole new perspective? Mind blown 
I'm literally counting down the days until Feb 1st when the fueling test is scheduled... my heart is RACING with excitement!!! 
This is going to be a momentous occasion, one that will go down in history as one of the most incredible achievements of human ingenuity and determination!!! 
nasa's been working on this project for like, forever, and it's amazing to see it come together. i mean, 11 million pounds of rocket is no joke, but it's all worth it for that historic moment when humans set foot on the moon again 
. hope everything goes smoothly in early Feb and we get to see those astronauts making history on live TV! fingers crossed 
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