This article is based on an official report from Boeing and additional data from NASA Artemis program updates.

Boeing Prepares Artemis II SLS for Historic Rollout to Launch Pad

The fully integrated Space Launch System (SLS) rocket destined for the Artemis II mission is poised to leave the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. According to a report published on Boeing’s internal news network (BNN), the massive vehicle is currently undergoing final preparations for its transfer to Launch Complex 39B, a critical milestone that signals the return of crewed lunar exploration capabilities.

This upcoming “rollout” represents a significant achievement for the aerospace manufacturers and the wider Artemis program. It marks the first time since the Apollo era that a rocket built specifically to carry humans to the Moon has been readied for the launch pad. The vehicle, comprised of the Boeing-built Core Stage 2, twin Solid Rocket Boosters, and the Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft, is now fully stacked and awaiting its journey on the crawler-transporter.

From Assembly to the Pad

The road to this moment has involved years of manufacturing and months of precise integration. Boeing delivered Core Stage 2 to Florida in July 2024, where it joined the Solid Rocket Boosters inside the VAB. The stacking process concluded on October 20, 2025, when the Orion spacecraft was lifted and mated to the top of the rocket.

According to Boeing’s internal reporting, the focus has now shifted to the rollout itself. This event is not merely symbolic; it is a logistical necessity to facilitate the next phase of testing. The crawler-transporter will move the 322-foot (98-meter) tall behemoth at a top speed of just 1 mph, a delicate operation expected to take place between late December 2025 and early January 2026.

The Wet Dress Rehearsal

Once the SLS arrives at Launch Complex 39B, the operations team will prepare for a “Wet Dress Rehearsal” (WDR). This critical test involves loading the rocket with cryogenic propellants, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, and proceeding through a launch countdown simulation. The engines will not be ignited, but the test verifies that the vehicle, ground systems, and launch software can communicate and function flawlessly under flight-like conditions.

“The hardware is no longer just metal; it is now a vehicle waiting for its crew.”

, Industry observation regarding the Artemis II stack

Mission Profile and Timeline

The Artemis II mission is distinct from its predecessor, Artemis I, in its primary payload: people. The mission will carry four astronauts, Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, on a flyby around the Moon. This flight is designed to validate the life support systems, crew displays, and manual piloting capabilities of the Orion spacecraft.

Current schedules target a launch as early as February 2026, an acceleration from previous estimates that placed the mission in April. The successful completion of the upcoming Wet Dress Rehearsal is the final major hurdle before a launch date can be firmly locked in.

AirPro News Analysis

The Significance of a “Human-Rated” Rollout

While the rollout of Artemis I was a spectacle, the movement of the Artemis II vehicle carries a heavier weight. This is the first “human-rated” vehicle in the SLS program. For Boeing, this moment offers a chance to reshape the narrative surrounding its space division. After facing scrutiny over delays and budget constraints, delivering a flight-ready Core Stage that has successfully integrated with the Orion capsule is a tangible validation of their engineering capabilities.

We observe that the successful integration of systems from different prime contractors, specifically Boeing’s Core Stage and avionics with Lockheed Martin’s Orion, demonstrates the maturity of the SLS architecture. If the Wet Dress Rehearsal proceeds without the valve issues or leaks that plagued Artemis I, it will strongly suggest that the program has moved past its “teething” phase and entered an operational cadence.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Artemis II launch?
Current targets suggest a launch window opening in February 2026, pending the results of the Wet Dress Rehearsal.

Who is flying on Artemis II?
The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

What is the purpose of the rollout?
The rollout moves the rocket to the launch pad to conduct fueling tests (Wet Dress Rehearsal) and verify ground system connections before the actual flight.

Sources

• Boeing Internal News (BNN)
• NASA Artemis Program Updates

This article is based on an official press release from Firefly Aerospace.

Firefly Aerospace to Host Volta Wireless Power Tech on Far Side Lunar Mission

Firefly Aerospace has announced a new commercial agreement to transport a wireless power receiver developed by Volta Space Technologies to the lunar surface. The payload, known as “LightPort,” will fly aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 2, which is currently scheduled to launch in 2026. The mission targets the Schrödinger Basin on the far side of the Moon, a destination selected to support NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

According to the company’s announcement, this collaboration marks a critical step in establishing a power utility infrastructure on the Moon. While solar power is effective during the lunar day, the lunar night lasts approximately 14 Earth days, with temperatures plunging to -173°C (-280°F). This extreme environment typically renders standard solar-powered landers inoperable. Volta’s technology aims to solve this by beaming power from orbit to surface assets, allowing them to survive and operate through the night.

Validating the “LightGrid” Architecture

The payload for this specific mission is the LightPort receiver. Its primary objective is to validate Volta’s ability to track a power source and convert optical energy into electricity in the harsh lunar environment. Successful validation of the receiver is a prerequisite for Volta’s broader vision: the “LightGrid.”

The LightGrid concept involves a constellation of satellites designed to beam laser power to rovers, landers, and other infrastructure on the lunar surface. By providing a continuous power source similar to a terrestrial utility grid, Volta hopes to enable permanent lunar operations that are not constrained by the two-week cycle of darkness.

In a statement regarding the partnership, Justin Zipkin, CEO of Volta Space Technologies, emphasized the importance of testing hardware in actual lunar conditions:

“Partnering with Firefly on Blue Ghost Mission 2 is an important step forward for Volta and the future of lunar infrastructure. This collaboration allows us to prove our LightPort receiver in a real lunar environment and move one step closer to delivering a fully integrated power grid for the Moon.”

Blue Ghost Mission 2 Overview

Blue Ghost Mission 2 represents a complex, multi-national effort. While the mission is anchored by NASA’s LuSEE-Night radio telescope, which seeks to detect signals from the universe’s “Dark Ages”, Firefly is utilizing the mission’s excess capacity to support commercial and international partners.

The mission architecture utilizes two primary vehicles:

• Blue Ghost Lander: Will deliver surface payloads, including the Volta LightPort and NASA’s LuSEE-Night, to the Schrödinger Basin.
• Elytra Dark Orbital Vehicle: Will act as a transfer vehicle to deliver the lander and satellites to lunar orbit. Following deployment, Elytra is designed to remain in orbit for more than five years, acting as a communications relay and providing imaging services.

Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, noted that the mission’s infrastructure is designed to support long-term commercial goals beyond simple transport:

“Our international mission will enable critical technology demonstrations that lay the groundwork for lasting operations on the Moon. Longer term, our Blue Ghost landers and Elytra orbiters are well equipped to support Volta’s larger vision for a lunar power network.”

International Payload Manifest

In addition to the Volta payload and NASA’s experiments, the mission will carry a diverse array of technology from global partners. According to mission details released by Firefly and its partners, the manifest includes:

• ESA (Europe): The Lunar Pathfinder communications satellite.
• MBRSC (UAE): The Rashid Rover 2.
• Fleet Space Technologies (Australia): The SPIDER seismic payload for subsurface analysis.

AirPro News Analysis

We view this partnership as a significant indicator of the maturing commercial lunar economy. Early commercial missions focused primarily on the logistics of transport, simply proving that private companies could land on the Moon. The integration of Volta’s power receiver signals a shift toward “Day 2” operations: establishing the utilities (power, communications, and data relay) required for sustained presence.

If Volta’s receiver technology proves successful in 2026, it could reduce the design constraints for future rovers, which currently must carry heavy batteries or radioactive heating units to survive the lunar night. By decoupling power generation from the surface day-night cycle, companies like Firefly and Volta are attempting to lower the barrier to entry for future industrial and scientific lunar activities.

Sources

• Firefly Aerospace
• Volta Space Technologies
• NASA CLPS

This article is based on an official press release from NASA.

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim and Crew Return After 245 Days in Orbit

A multinational crew comprising a NASA astronaut and two Roscosmos cosmonauts has safely returned to Earth, concluding a mission spanning approximately eight months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). According to an official press release from NASA, the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky landed in the remote steppe of Kazakhstan on December 9, 2025.

The landing occurred at 12:03 a.m. EST (10:03 a.m. local time), southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan. The crew’s return marks the end of a 245-day research mission that contributed significantly to medical science and orbital maintenance. For Kim, a U.S. Navy SEAL and physician, this landing concludes his first journey into space, while mission commander Ryzhikov adds to his extensive time in orbit.

Following standard medical checks at the landing site, the crew was transported by Helicopters to Karaganda, Kazakhstan. From there, the team split up for their respective returns home, with Kim boarding a NASA plane bound for the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Mission Statistics and Logistics

The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft undocked from the ISS Prichal module on December 8 at 8:41 p.m. EST, initiating the descent process. NASA reports that during their 245 days in space, the crew completed 3,920 orbits of Earth and traveled nearly 104 million miles. The mission launched on April 8, 2025, and the crew members served as flight engineers for Expeditions 72 and 73.

This mission is particularly notable for its duration. While standard ISS rotations often last six months, this crew remained on station for approximately eight months. This extended duration provides valuable data regarding human physiological adaptation to microgravity, a critical factor for future deep-space exploration.

Scientific Research and Station Maintenance

During their time aboard the orbiting laboratory, the crew conducted hundreds of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. NASA highlighted several key areas of research undertaken by Kim and his crewmates:

Biomedical and Robotics Research

Kim, leveraging his background as a doctor, participated in studies involving bioprinted tissues. Specifically, the crew investigated the behavior of bioprinted tissues containing blood vessels in microgravity. According to NASA, this research is vital for advancing space-based tissue production, which holds potential for treating patients on Earth and eventually printing organs for astronauts on long-duration missions.

In the field of AI, the crew conducted the “Surface Avatar” study. This experiment evaluated the remote control of multiple robots from the station, simulating how future astronauts might control robotic assistants on the surface of the Moon or Mars from an orbiting spacecraft.

Material Science and Repairs

The crew also researched the manufacturing of DNA-mimicking nanomaterials in space. These materials could improve drug delivery technologies and regenerative medicine applications. Beyond science, maintenance remained a priority; Kim performed critical repairs on the station’s Thermal Amine Scrubber, a life-support component essential for removing carbon dioxide from the cabin atmosphere.

Crew Profiles and Milestones

The returning crew represents a mix of veteran experience and rookie enthusiasm.

Jonny Kim (NASA): This was the first spaceflight for Kim, a dual-designated naval aviator and flight surgeon. Before joining NASA, he served as a U.S. Navy SEAL with Team 3, completing over 100 combat operations and earning a Silver Star and Bronze Star with Combat “V”. He later earned his Doctorate of Medicine from Harvard Medical School.

“8 months in space on the International Space Station has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”

, Jonny Kim, via X (formerly Twitter)

Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos): Serving as the mission commander, Ryzhikov is a veteran cosmonaut completing his third spaceflight. With this mission, he has logged a total of 603 days in space, placing him 13th on the all-time endurance list.

Alexey Zubritsky (Roscosmos): Like Kim, Zubritsky was a rookie completing his first spaceflight. He served as a flight engineer, supporting station maintenance and experiments within the Russian segment.

AirPro News Analysis

The successful return of the Soyuz MS-27 crew underscores the continued reliance on international cooperation for ISS operations, even as the station approaches its transition phase in the coming years. The mission coincided with the 25th anniversary of continuous human presence aboard the ISS, a milestone that highlights the facility’s longevity.

Furthermore, the profile of astronauts like Jonny Kim, who combines elite military tactical experience with high-level medical training, signals the evolving requirements for the “Artemis Generation.” As NASA prepares for crewed missions to the Moon and Mars, the ability to perform complex medical interventions and technical repairs autonomously will be paramount. The data gathered from Kim’s 245-day mission will likely directly inform the physiological protocols for these future deep-space endeavors.

With the departure of Soyuz MS-27, Expedition 74 has officially commenced aboard the station, commanded by NASA astronaut Mike Fincke.

Sources

• NASA