Artemis 2 Mission Moon Launch NASA Space Flight Lunar Exploration SLS Rocket — NASA’s SLS rocket stands ready at Cape Canaveral as engineers prepare for the Artemis 2 Moon mission rehearsal.

NASA successfully rehearses Artemis 2 lunar mission launch

NASA successfully rehearses Artemis 2 Moon mission launch, preparing astronauts for first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years.

By Fahad Last updated Feb 20, 2026

NASA – (Web Desk) – NASA announced on Thursday that it successfully completed a practice launch of its powerful SLS rocket, which will carry astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

Earlier attempts in February were cut short due to technical issues during a so-called “wet dress rehearsal.”

This time, the rehearsal went smoothly, ending at T-minus 29 seconds in the countdown. NASA is now expected to announce the official launch date and will provide an update to the media on Friday.

The wet dress rehearsal is conducted under real conditions — with full rocket tanks and technical checks — at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with engineers practicing the maneuvers needed to carry out an actual launch.

The setback in February, which included a liquid hydrogen leak, dashed hopes of a lift-off this month, pushing the earliest possible launch date back to March 6.

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The Artemis 2 mission will be the first crewed mission to fly past the Moon in more than 50 years, with three Americans and one Canadian taking part.