Sun rises on Artemis 2 launch pad photo of the day for March 30, 2026

a massive-looking sun rises in a red sky behind the silhouettes of several skeletal metal towers and a rocket upright on a launch pad — The sun rises behind NASA's Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft as they sit waiting at Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (Image credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky)

NASA's next moon rocket casts a striking silhouette against the rising sun in this photo taken just a week prior to the agency's impending Artemis 2 mission, currently scheduled for April 1.

What is it?

This photo shows the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft standing upright at the historic Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.

SLS rolled back out to the launch pad on March 20 after being brought in to NASA's massive Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repairs. Mission teams have secured the rocket's mobile launcher to infrastructure at the pad, connected power and communications linkages and installed the crew's emergency egress system. The tower's crew access arm, through which the four Artemis 2 astronauts will walk to enter the rocket, has been extended to allow them to access their Orion spacecraft.

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Why is it amazing?

After years of planning, training and multiple delays, NASA says it's finally ready to launch Artemis 2 on a journey around the moon and back.

"Our flight systems are ready, the ground systems are ready, our launch and operations teams are ready, and our flight operations team in Houston are also ready," Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said during a mission status update on Sunday (March 29).

The four Artemis 2 astronauts — NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen — arrived at KSC on Friday (March 27).

three men and a woman, each wearing a blue flight suit, pose together for a photo holding a small plush doll — From L to R: Artemis 2 astronauts Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover. (Image credit: NASA/John Kraus)

If all goes according to plan, Artemis 2 will launch on April 1 at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 GMT). NASA has additional launch dates available through April 6, should this attempt be delayed.

Follow along with our Artemis 2 mission live updates page for the latest developments.

Brett is curious about emerging aerospace technologies, alternative launch concepts, military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems. Brett's work has appeared on Scientific American, The War Zone, Popular Science, the History Channel, Science Discovery and more. Brett has degrees from Clemson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In his free time, Brett enjoys skywatching throughout the dark skies of the Appalachian mountains.

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