ScienceJanuary 18, 2026

Artemis II: The Slow, Careful Move to the Moon Launch Pad

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

rocket/ˈrɒk.ɪt/

A vehicle that flies into space using engines.

"The rocket moved slowly to the launch pad."

capsule/ˈkæp.səl/

A small spacecraft that carries astronauts.

"The Orion capsule will carry four astronauts."

launch pad/ˈlɔːntʃ pæd/

The place where a rocket starts its flight.

"The rocket arrived at Launch Pad 39B."

Listening

Artemis II: The Slow, Careful Move to the Moon Launch Pad

On January 18, 2026, NASA moved the Artemis II rocket and Orion crew capsule to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket left the Vehicle Assembly Building and arrived after a slow, four-mile trip that took nearly twelve hours.

The crawler moved the 11-million-pound stack at about 0.82 miles per hour. Four astronauts will fly the mission on a ten-day trip around the Moon. The team will do a wet dress rehearsal and check fueling before a launch window that opens as early as February 6, 2026. It will last about ten days and then return to Earth. The astronauts are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.

114 words

Quiz

1. Where did NASA move the Artemis II rocket?

2. How long did the trip to the pad take?

3. When does the launch window open?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you feel excited when you hear about space missions? How?

Have you ever watched a rocket launch video? What did you think?

Would you like to go to space someday? Why or why not?