KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA teams at the Kennedy Space Center began the countdown Tuesday for the second Artemis II wet dress rehearsal.
The countdown clock started for the multi-day test, which leads to a simulated launch window opening at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday.
The rehearsal runs the launch team through a full range of operations, including loading cryogenic liquid propellant into the Space Launch System rocket and practicing countdown procedures.
Supporting teams at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and other NASA centers are participating to ensure readiness for a potential March launch opportunity.
During the rehearsal, teams will execute a detailed terminal countdown sequence.
While the Artemis II crew members are not participating in this specific rehearsal, the timeline incorporates milestones they would hit on launch day.
The Artemis closeout crew will use the test to practice their operations, which include closing the Orion crew module and the launch abort system hatches.
During the fueling phase, the agency will offer a separate feed capturing tanking activities and provide real-time updates.
At the end of the test, the team will drain the propellant from the rocket’s tanks.
Personnel will then review all gathered data before NASA sets an official target launch date for the Artemis II mission.
Artemis II aims to send a crew of four astronauts around the moon and back to Earth.
Channel 9 will continue to monitor the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal and provide updates on Eyewitness News.
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