The four Artemis 2 astronauts arrived in Florida on March 27 for final preparations ahead of launch opportunities that begin April 1.
NASA said Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen flew from Ellington Field in Houston to Kennedy Space Center on NASA T-38 jets. They were joined by the mission’s two backup astronauts, Andre Douglas and Jenni Gibbons.
Launch timing
The crew arrived five days before the earliest launch opportunity for Artemis 2. That first window opens at 6:24 p.m. Eastern on April 1 and lasts two hours. Additional two-hour launch windows are available each day through April 6.
Preparation status
SpaceNews reported that NASA has provided limited updates since the mobile platform carrying the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft returned to Launch Complex 39B on March 20. The vehicle had been in the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs to restore the flow of helium into the upper stage.
Lori Glaze, NASA’s acting associate administrator for exploration systems development, said on March 24 that she was not tracking issues standing in the way of a launch the following week and that work was moving on schedule.
Weather outlook
A March 27 forecast from the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron showed a 10% chance of precipitation for April 1, along with partly cloudy conditions and light winds.