The Orion spacecraft, designed to carry four astronauts around the Moon, was transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida late Thursday, October 12, 2023, in preparation for stacking atop its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The 6-mile (10-kilometer) move occurred between facilities at the Kennedy Space Center. NASA reported the successful transfer.
This milestone is occurring despite the ongoing U.S. federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2023. The Artemis II programme received a specific exemption from the White House to continue operations during the shutdown.SpacePolicyOnline.com details the White House's decision.