Artemis II Countdown: Final Preparations Pave The Way for Lunar Journey

NASA has officially unveiled the launch window schedule for the manned Artemis II mission. According to the agency’s post on the X social network, the first opportunity to send the Orion spacecraft to the Moon will open in just two weeks-on February 6 at 05:41 Moscow time (2:41 UTC). The last date on the current schedule is April 30. In total, there are 16 dates spanning from February to the end of April this year.

Preparation for the flight has now entered its final phase: the mission crew has already begun undergoing the mandatory 14-day pre-launch quarantine. A critical moment, which will determine adherence to the schedule, will be the launch dress rehearsal. Testing of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft is scheduled for February 2 at launch pad LC-39B. The success of these tests will determine if the crew will fly in the first window.