CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Engineers at NASA are preparing the heavy lift Artemis rocket that will send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in more than five decades.

They continue stacking the Space Launch System components to prep for integrating with the Orion capsule for the Artemis II mission.

The 212-foot-tall core stage is the largest the space agency has ever produced and the four RS-25 engines will produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust as the 4-member crew launch on the Orion spacecraft to the moon.

NASA just wrapped an extensive investigation on the first Orion’s heat shield that lost some charred material during the Artemis I test flight.

Engineers determined the shield can keep the crew safe during the next mission by changing the spacecraft’s trajectory as it re-enters the intensive heat of Earth’s atmosphere.

Artemis II pilot Victor Glover said the crew was comfortable with the decision to re-use the upgraded heat shield.

“Then it became should we fly or not this heat shield as is, that was a much harder decision, but we went through the process, and the crew came out ready to go to support either direction,” Glover said.

“To have the crew behind you and the responsibility of knowing the ultimate consequences if you don’t do it the right way,” said Amit Kshatriya, NASA Moon to Mars Program Deputy Associate Administrator.

NASA has announced the Artemis II crewed test flight is now being delayed until April 2026 and Artemis III is being pushed to mid 2027.

Artemis managers and the crew are confident they will fly then.