NASA's Artemis II Moon rocket arrives at the launch pad

If it all goes wrong, British kids of the '80s might remember an alternative

NASA's monster Moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), has trundled out to the launch pad – though the upper stage and Orion spacecraft look uncannily like a prop from a 1980s British children's television show.

After an almost 12-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the SLS, which will be used for the Artemis II mission, reached launch pad 39B at 1842 EST on Janaury 17.

The first launch window for the almost ten-day mission around the Moon opens at 2141 EST on February 6, although there are opportunities through April 30, according to NASA [PDF].

The mission will return humans to the Moon (or at least around it) for the first time in more than half a century. However, unlike the first time humans headed to the Moon on Apollo 8, Artemis II will attempt a flyby rather than entering orbit.

The crew of Artemis II numbers four – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen – rather than the three on Apollo 8.

Several tests must be accomplished before launch, including a wet dress rehearsal (WDR), targeted for no later than February 2. During the WDR, countdown procedures are rehearsed, and the rocket is filled with cryogenic propellants, which are drained after the WDR is completed. Perhaps mindful of the leaks that plagued Artemis I during its 2022 launch campaign, NASA warned it "may roll back SLS and Orion to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional work ahead of launch after the wet dress rehearsal."

Artemis II has suffered repeated delays. There was talk of a launch in 2022, and in 2019, NASA reckoned 2023 would be the year of the crewed mission. That didn't happen. After issues were identified with the Orion capsule's heat shield and the spacecraft's life support systems, the target slipped to April 2026. A launch in February would therefore be ahead of schedule.

If Artemis II goes well, the next mission, Artemis III, is expected to land a crew on the lunar surface for the first time since the 1970s. However, the mission is targeting mid-2027, and there is every chance that the lander selected – the Human Landing System (HLS) variant of SpaceX's Starship – will not be ready in time. If the delays continue, NASA managers will have to decide whether to wait for SpaceX or pursue another option for Artemis III.

If Artemis II runs into problems, there may yet be a plucky British alternative – at least for anyone raised on 1980s children's television. A post from the Legends of Kids TV Facebook group compares the top of the SLS and Orion spacecraft to the vehicle from Button Moon. The resemblance is undeniable, though we're not sure Reid Wiseman would welcome a call sign of "Mr Spoon."

Amusingly, the image was also sent to us by an individual at a space agency that isn't NASA. They observed that it had been "going around like wildfire."

Quite why Europeans should have a bit of a downer on the US in January 2026, and be poking fun at NASA's Moon rocket, is a mystery to us. ®