NASA has conducted a dress rehearsal for the upcoming Artemis 2 mission, practicing recovery procedures for an abort scenario in partnership with the Department of Defense. The crew members assigned to the mission are rehearsing all possible scenarios, including worst-case scenarios.
The practice took place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the Orion spacecraft was simulated falling into the ocean as part of a recovery procedure. The Crew Module Test Article (CMTA), a full-scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, was used to test the crew’s ability to respond to emergency situations.
The Artemis 2 mission is set to launch in April 2026 and will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon. This mission marks a significant milestone in NASA’s efforts to return humans to the lunar surface. The successful rehearsal demonstrates the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its crew members during the mission.
The Artemis program is built on the success of the Artemis 1 mission, which launched in 2022. The upcoming mission will provide valuable insights into the performance of the Orion spacecraft and its systems, paving the way for a long-term presence at the moon.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/dress-rehearsal-for-artemis-2-space-photo-of-the-day-for-june-19-2025