Artemis II Crew Conducts Launch Day Demonstration Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building

First rollout of SLS for Artemis I // Photo: Ryan Bale

NASA’s Artemis II astronauts have completed a major pre-launch milestone, participating in a Launch Day Demonstration designed to rehearse crew and ground operations ahead of the agency’s first crewed lunar mission of the Artemis era. The test was conducted at Kennedy Space Center, with flight hardware located inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, where the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft are currently stacked.

The demonstration allowed astronauts and launch teams to walk through the same timelines and procedures that will be used on launch day, stopping short of live propulsion and vehicle flight operations. According to NASA, the objective was to validate crew interfaces, communications, and coordination across teams before the integrated vehicle is rolled out to the launch pad.

Inside the Launch Day Demonstration

The rehearsal began with the crew suiting up and completing pre-launch briefings before traveling to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Inside the VAB, the fully stacked Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft were positioned on the mobile launcher in a flight-ready configuration.

The Artemis II astronauts rode the mobile launcher elevator to the crew access level and entered Orion through the crew hatch, taking their assigned seats inside the spacecraft. Once strapped in, the crew conducted suit checks, verified communications, and worked through timeline-based procedures alongside teams in NASA’s Launch Control Center and Mission Control in Houston.

While the rocket was not fueled and engines were not activated, simulated countdown milestones were run in parallel. This allowed launch controllers and flight directors to practice pacing, decision-making, and coordination under realistic launch-day conditions. NASA uses these demonstrations to identify procedural gaps, refine timelines, and ensure all teams operate as a single, integrated unit.

Meet the Artemis II Crew

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a multi-day journey around the Moon, marking humanity’s first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo. The crew brings together deep spaceflight experience, operational leadership, and international partnership.

Commander: Reid Wiseman (NASA) - Reid Wiseman is a veteran NASA astronaut and former U.S. Navy test pilot. Selected in 2009, he previously served as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station during Expeditions 40 and 41, spending more than 165 days in orbit. Wiseman has also held leadership roles within NASA’s Astronaut Office. As Artemis II commander, he is responsible for overall mission execution and crew coordination.

Pilot: Victor J. Glover (NASA) - Victor J. Glover is a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy test pilot who previously flew on SpaceX’s Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station. During that flight, he served as a long-duration crew member and flight engineer. On Artemis II, Glover will support spacecraft navigation and operations during critical phases of the mission.

Mission Specialist: Christina Koch (NASA) - Christina Koch is an electrical engineer by training and one of NASA’s most experienced long-duration space travelers. She spent 328 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station and completed multiple spacewalks, including the first all-female EVA. Her technical expertise will support spacecraft systems monitoring throughout the Artemis II mission.

Mission Specialist: Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency) - Jeremy Hansen represents the Canadian Space Agency on Artemis II. A former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot with academic training in space science and physics, Hansen has served in key astronaut support and training roles. Artemis II will make him the first non-American astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit, highlighting the international scope of the Artemis program.

Preparing for Rollout and Launch

The Launch Day Demonstration marks one of the final major crew rehearsals before the integrated vehicle is rolled out from the VAB to Launch Complex 39B. By practicing ingress, timelines, and communications with the real spacecraft in place, NASA reduces risk and increases confidence ahead of live countdown operations.

As Artemis II moves closer to launch, rehearsals like this ensure that when the countdown reaches its final moments, both crew and ground teams are already operating from experience built long before the rocket ever leaves the ground.