The Nasas Orion crew capsule was secured to the Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Final preparations for the Nasas Artemis programme that returns astronauts to the Moon are underway.
The rocket is 322ft (698m) tall, which is 6ft higher than Big Ben in London. The critical service module, which provides electricity, water, and communications to the Orion capsule, was provided by the European Space Agency.
Nasa stated that the launch date would not be earlier than 12 February 2022. However, this is contingent on the rocket passing several critical tests over the next months.
Artemis 1 will orbit the moon robotically before returning to Earth. The Orion capsule will then splash down in the ocean.
Artemis 2 will be an identical mission with four astronauts aboard. Following that mission, Nasa and international partners plan to launch a series of missions which will establish a lunar orbiting space station and land people on Earth. Boots on the ground is a mandate under President Trump. It will take several years, in reality.
