ARTEMIS 2 CREW COMPLETES FINAL REHEARSAL FOR LUNAR MISSION

December 21 2025, 1 min reading time

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL — On Saturday afternoon, the four-person crew of the Artemis 2 mission successfully completed their final "Countdown Demonstration Test" at the Kennedy Space Center. This dress rehearsal is the last major hurdle before their historic flight around the Moon, scheduled for early next year.

THE PATH BACK TO THE MOON

The mission marks the first time humans will travel toward the Moon in over 50 years. The crew, consisting of three Americans—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch—and one Canadian, Jeremy Hansen, spent the day practicing every step of a real launch.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REHEARSAL

1. THE SUIT-UP AND TRANSPORT

The astronauts began their day by donning their signature orange pressure suits. In a change from previous plans, the crew was transported to the launch pad in the "Astrovan," the same vehicle used for recent Boeing Starliner missions.

2. BOARDING THE ORION CAPSULE

After reaching the Vehicle Assembly Building, the crew boarded the Orion spacecraft, which is currently sitting atop the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This allowedy teams to test communication systems and cabin pressure in a fully integrated environment.

3. THE SIMULATED COUNTDOWN

The rehearsal reached its climax with a simulated countdown that stopped at the "T-29 seconds" mark. Mission control reported that all systems performed within expected parameters, proving that both the hardware and the human teams are ready for the real thing.

A NEW ERA OF EXPLORATION

This test comes during a week of significant changes for NASA. Recently, the U.S. Senate confirmed Jared Isaacman as the new NASA Administrator. Under this new leadership, the agency has reaffirmed its commitment to landing astronauts on the lunar surface by 2028 and eventually reaching Mars.

WHAT IS NEXT FOR ARTEMIS 2?

Now that the dress rehearsal is complete, engineers will perform final inspections on the SLS rocket’s engines and the Orion heat shield. If everything remains on schedule, the crew is expected to lift off in the coming months, officially beginning humanity's return to deep space