NASA Readies Artemis II Moon Mission Rocket for Critical Fueling Test

Dress rehearsal countdown underway ahead of potential Super Bowl Sunday launch

Feb. 1, 2026 at 2:47pm

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NASA is conducting a critical dress rehearsal countdown and fueling test of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket this week, a key step before the planned Artemis II mission to send four astronauts around the moon. The test will simulate loading over 750,000 gallons of supercold liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel into the rocket's tanks, ensuring the systems are ready for launch. If successful, the Artemis II crew of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen could lift off as soon as Super Bowl Sunday, February 8.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission is a crucial step in NASA's ambitious Artemis program to return humans to the lunar surface. This dress rehearsal countdown and fueling test will help ensure the massive SLS rocket is ready to safely launch the crew on their historic journey around the moon, paving the way for future Artemis missions that could land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era.

The details

Over the weekend, Kennedy Space Center workers began a dress-rehearsal countdown that will continue through the start of a simulated launch window opening at 9 p.m. EST on Monday. The test was delayed two days due to predicted arctic weather, which in turn pushed the target Artemis II launch date from February 6 to no earlier than February 8 - Super Bowl Sunday. During the test, the launch team will pump over 750,000 gallons of supercold liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel into the SLS rocket's two stages, rehearsing loading procedures and ensuring the tanks and plumbing are leak-free. No astronauts will be on board, but the team will work through various contingency procedures to prepare for potential issues on launch day.

  • The dress-rehearsal countdown began on Saturday evening.
  • The simulated launch window opens at 9 p.m. EST on Monday, February 6.
  • The Artemis II mission is currently targeted to launch no earlier than Super Bowl Sunday, February 8.

The players

Reid Wiseman

Commander of the Artemis II mission.

Victor Glover

Artemis II astronaut.

Christina Koch

Artemis II astronaut.

Jeremy Hansen

Canadian astronaut on the Artemis II mission.

Charlie Blackwell-Thompson

NASA's launch director, who said improvements and upgrades based on lessons learned give the team a good shot at getting through the fueling operation without major problems.

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What’s next

If the fueling test goes well, the Artemis II crew of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are expected to fly to the Florida spaceport later this week to prepare for their targeted Super Bowl Sunday launch.

The takeaway

The successful completion of this critical dress rehearsal countdown and fueling test will be a major milestone for NASA's Artemis program, helping ensure the SLS rocket and its crew are ready for the historic Artemis II mission to send astronauts around the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.