Artemis II Rolls to the Pad: Live Coverage Guide for March 20

After years of development, testing, and anticipation, Artemis II is rolling to the pad. On March 20, 2026, NASA is expected to transport the fully stacked Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. This rollout marks one of the final major milestones before the first crewed Artemis mission sends four astronauts around the Moon and back.

This guide covers everything you need to know: how to watch the rollout live, what happens during the journey, who is on the crew, and the pre-launch timeline that follows.

How to Watch the Rollout Live

NASA will provide extensive live coverage of the Artemis II rollout. Here are the best ways to follow along in real time:

• NASA TV: The primary live stream will be available at nasa.gov/nasatv and on the NASA app. Coverage typically begins several hours before the rollout starts and continues until the vehicle is secured at the pad.
• NASA YouTube: The NASA YouTube channel streams all major events live and archives the footage for later viewing.
• SpaceNexus Live Stream: When available, SpaceNexus will provide supplementary coverage through our live stream page with expert commentary and real-time data overlays from Mission Control.
• SpaceNexus Mission Control: Track the rollout status, countdown clock, and mission timeline on the Mission Control dashboard, which aggregates live telemetry and schedule updates.
• X (Twitter): Follow @NASA, @NASAArtemis, and @NASAKennedy for real-time photo and video updates from the ground.

What Exactly Is Rolling Out?

The Artemis II stack consists of the 322-foot-tall Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 rocket topped by the Orion crew vehicle and its launch abort system. The entire assembly sits atop NASA's Mobile Launcher 1 (ML-1), which serves as the launch platform and provides umbilical connections for power, data, and propellant.

The stack is transported by the Crawler-Transporter 2 (CT-2), one of two massive tracked vehicles originally built for the Apollo program and later modified for the Space Shuttle and SLS. The crawler moves at a top speed of about 1 mile per hour while carrying the 17-million-pound combined load of the rocket, mobile launcher, and crawler itself.

What Happens During the Rollout

The 4.2-mile journey from the VAB to Pad 39B is a carefully choreographed operation that takes approximately 8 to 12 hours, depending on weather and technical factors. Here is the general sequence:

1. Rollout begins: The crawler lifts the mobile launcher off its pedestals inside the VAB and begins the slow journey along the crawlerway. Engineers walk alongside to monitor clearances and vehicle stability.
2. Crawlerway transit: The vehicle travels along the dual-lane gravel crawlerway, which is 130 feet wide and built atop compacted river rock. Laser alignment systems keep the platform level throughout the journey, especially during the 5% grade approaching the pad.
3. Pad approach and ascent: The crawler climbs the ramp to the pad surface, carefully positioning the mobile launcher over the flame deflector and exhaust trench.
4. Hard-down: The crawler lowers the mobile launcher onto the pad's support pedestals and retracts. At this point the vehicle is "hard down" and pad operations can begin.
5. Umbilical connections: Ground crews connect the tail service mast umbilicals and verify all pad-to-vehicle interfaces for propellant, electrical, and data systems.

The Artemis II Crew

Artemis II will carry four astronauts on a roughly 10-day mission around the Moon. The crew includes:

• Commander Reid Wiseman (NASA) — A Navy test pilot and veteran of ISS Expedition 41
• Pilot Victor Glover (NASA) — A Navy aviator who served as pilot on SpaceX Crew-1, the first operational Crew Dragon mission
• Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA) — Holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days on the ISS) and participated in the first all-female spacewalk
• Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (CSA) — A Canadian Space Agency astronaut and former CF-18 fighter pilot, making this the first Canadian to venture beyond low Earth orbit

Pre-Launch Timeline After Rollout

Once the SLS is secured at the pad, a series of final checkouts and preparations must be completed before launch. The typical pre-launch timeline includes:

• Days 1–3 after rollout: Pad interface verification tests, umbilical connection checks, and ground support equipment activation.
• Week 1–2: Integrated systems testing, flight software verification, and communication checks between Orion, Mission Control, and the tracking network.
• Wet Dress Rehearsal (if required): A full propellant loading and countdown demonstration, stopping just before engine ignition. NASA may or may not require a WDR for Artemis II, depending on lessons learned from Artemis I.
• Final countdown: The terminal count begins approximately 2 days before launch with propellant loading commencing on launch day. The crew enters Orion several hours before liftoff.

NASA has not yet announced a firm launch date, but the rollout to the pad on March 20 signals that the agency is in the final stretch of preparations. A launch window in spring or early summer 2026 is the current target.

Background: What Is Artemis II?

Artemis II is the first crewed flight of the Artemis program, NASA's initiative to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence for long-term exploration. The mission profile is a free-return trajectory around the Moon — similar to Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 — that will take the crew farther from Earth than any human has traveled since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Unlike the uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022, Artemis II will validate all crew life support systems, manual piloting capabilities, and deep space communication links with astronauts aboard. The data from this mission is essential for planning Artemis III, which will land astronauts on the lunar surface.

For a comprehensive overview of the mission objectives, vehicle specifications, and program history, read our in-depth article: Artemis II Moon Mission: Everything You Need to Know.

Follow Along With SpaceNexus

SpaceNexus will provide comprehensive coverage of the Artemis II rollout, pad operations, and eventual launch. Set up custom alerts to receive notifications for every major milestone, and track the mission timeline on our Mission Control dashboard.

Create your free account to get launch alerts and real-time mission updates delivered to your inbox.