WATCH: Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal Concludes Successfully at Kennedy Space Center
By Space Coast Daily // February 20, 2026
ABOVE VIDEO: NASA wrapped up its latest Artemis II wet dress rehearsal Thursday night at 10:16 p.m. EST, ending the countdown as planned at T-29 seconds.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – NASA wrapped up its latest Artemis II wet dress rehearsal Thursday night at 10:16 p.m. EST, ending the countdown as planned at T-29 seconds.
The critical test marks another milestone in preparations for Artemis II, the first crewed mission in NASA’s Artemis program. The space agency confirmed the rehearsal proceeded as expected, stopping just seconds before the simulated launch.
NASA will hold a media briefing at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, to discuss the results of the test. The briefing will stream live on the agency’s website.
A wet dress rehearsal is one of the final major tests before a rocket launch. During this process, teams simulate the entire launch countdown while loading the rocket with super-cold propellants — liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen — just as they would on launch day.
The term “wet” refers to fueling the rocket. In earlier tests, known as “dry” rehearsals, the vehicle goes through countdown procedures without propellants.
The wet dress rehearsal allows engineers to:
– Test fueling systems and timing
– Practice real-time coordination between launch teams
– Verify communications and safety procedures
– Identify and address potential technical issues
Stopping the countdown before liftoff — in this case at T-29 seconds — is intentional. It allows NASA to evaluate the rocket’s performance under realistic conditions without actually launching.
Artemis II will send four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth, becoming the first crewed mission beyond low-Earth orbit since the Apollo era. The mission will use NASA’s powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to pave the way for future lunar landings under the Artemis program.
The successful completion of the wet dress rehearsal is a key step toward launch readiness, ensuring systems are working properly and teams are prepared for the historic flight.
More details are expected during Friday’s briefing as NASA outlines next steps for Artemis II.
