Orion spacecraft, Designed for the next nasa -piloted mission to the moon, completed fuel refueling and went to the next stage of preparation for launch. Kennedy Space Flight Teams (KSC) Florida moved a lined crew capsule from the object of processing of several useful cargoes (MPPF) to the object of the emergency discharge system (LASF), where it will be installed on an emergency rescue system. This step is an important step in preparation for the first manned mission of the Artemis program, Artemis 2, which will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon and back.
Mission Artemis 2 scheduled no earlier than February 2026 year, but no later than April 2026 year. Orion will deliver NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and an astronaut of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Jeremy Hansen, who will become the first people, that will go into lunar space after the completion of the Apollo program in 1972 year.
In May 2025 Orion was transferred to the MPPF, where the processing was carried out, checking systems and refueling, high-pressure gases, coolant and other fluids necessary for flight. While at MPPF, the crew of Artemis 2 conducted the first tests in the Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits inside the capsule, connecting to life support and communications systems to simulate ground and flight conditions.
At LASF, engineers will install a 13.4-meter emergency drainage system, designed to separate the capsule from the Space Launch System rocket (SLS) In case of emergency. This system, which includes a protective fairing and engines for emergency diversion and maneuvering, ensures safe separation of Orion from SLS in the event of an emergency.
After installation of the emergency diversion system, the complete Orion complex will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) у KSC, where it will be installed on the SLS rocket in the High Bay compartment 3, where the final assembly of the rocket is underway. Artemis 2 will be Orion's first manned mission and a key step in the Artemis program, which aims to ensure the long-term presence of man on the moon. Mission Artemis 1 successfully sent Orion without a crew into lunar orbit in 2022 year, and Artemis 3, scheduled for 2027 year, will be the program's first mission to land astronauts on the lunar surface.
Although optimistic forecasts indicate a possible launch in February 2026 year, the crew urges caution with such expectations, noting, that the official date is no later than April, but the team is looking for early launch opportunities.
Source: https://www.space.com