January 28, 2026, 8:54 PM EST. NASA is advancing toward Artemis II's final major pre-launch test this weekend. The four astronauts are in quarantine at Johnson Space Center, and the Orion spacecraft sits atop the 322-foot Space Launch System on Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. A wet dress rehearsal is planned as soon as Saturday, Jan. 31, with a simulated liftoff around 9 p.m. ET that could run to 1 a.m. If tests progress, NASA could announce a launch date within the available windows; problems could pull the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for troubleshooting. The core stage runs on cryogenic propellants-liquid oxygen at −297°F and liquid hydrogen at −423°F-kept ultra-cold. Florida weather, including possible subfreezing temperatures, will be watched against weather criteria governing countdowns.
