NASA Completes Stacking of Artemis II Rocket Amid Artemis III Lander Contract Reopening

NASA has achieved a significant milestone by completing the stacking of the Artemis II Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. This fully assembled rocket is scheduled for launch as early as February 5, 2026, aiming to carry four astronauts on a mission around the Moon without landing. The crew has named the Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft "Integrity."

"Integration of SLS and Orion represents a major milestone in our progress on Artemis," said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. "Soon, we will be launching four astronauts around the moon for the first time in over half a century on Artemis II."

Following the stacking, teams will proceed with electrical and data connections, as well as umbilical connections from the mobile launcher. The Artemis II crew, consisting of NASA commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will participate in a countdown demonstration while the spacecraft remains in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Subsequently, the mobile launcher will be transported to Launch Pad 39-B for a full wet dress rehearsal, during which teams will load propellant into the rocket to ensure readiness for launch.

In parallel developments, NASA has reopened the contract for the Artemis III lunar lander due to delays with SpaceX's Starship program. The Artemis III mission, initially scheduled for as early as summer 2027, is now projected to occur no earlier than 2028. Duffy acknowledged that delays from SpaceX with its Starship program will push that to no earlier than 2028. NASA had planned to use a version of Starship as the mission's human landing system, aiming to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Duffy stated that NASA would reopen the Artemis III moon lander contract, potentially allowing competitors like Blue Origin to contribute to the mission.

"Whatever one can get us there first to the moon, we're going to take," Duffy said.

Blue Origin has been developing its Mark 2 Blue Moon lander for the Artemis V mission, targeting 2023, and has an uncrewed, smaller Mark 1 lander ready for a potential moon landing before the end of the year. This move underscores NASA's commitment to maintaining momentum in its lunar exploration efforts and ensuring the United States remains at the forefront of space exploration.