As part of the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, NASA teams are performing final preparations and closure of the Orion crew module hatch inside the White Room at Launch Pad 39B. This step simulates launch day procedures, ensuring the spacecraft is sealed and ready for crew to enter Orion for launch. The Artemis II astronauts are not participating in the rehearsal.
The closeout crew will inspect and clean the hatch seals to maintain airtight integrity, verify environmental controls inside the crew module, confirm all mechanical and electrical connections are secure before closure.
Closing the hatch is a critical milestone that demonstrates Orion’s readiness for flight and validates procedures for the first crewed Artemis mission around the Moon.
Coming up next, teams will configure the launch abort system hatch for closure.
A 24/7 live stream of the rocket at the pad remains online, as well as a separate feed to capture wet dress activities.
