Artemis II Countdown Demonstration Test

Left, Janet Petro, director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Lori Glaze, associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, Adam Steltzner, engineering advisor to the NASA Associate Administrator, and Stephanie Schierholz, chief of staff for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, wave goodbye to NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander, not pictured; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist as they depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket inside the Vehicle Assembly Building as part of the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For this operation, the Artemis II crew and launch teams are simulating the launch day timeline including suit-up, walkout, and spacecraft ingress and egress. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars, for the benefit of all. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)