Launch Complex 39B
Kennedy Space Center launch pad for Artemis, with heritage from Apollo and Shuttle.
Last refreshed: 2 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why does NASA still use a 1960s launch pad for Moon missions?
Latest on Launch Complex 39B
- What is Launch Complex 39B?
- A NASA launch pad at Kennedy Space Center used for Apollo, Shuttle, and now Artemis missions including the SLS rocket.Source: KSC history
- Did Artemis II launch from Pad 39B?
- Yes. Artemis II launched from LC-39B on 1 April 2026, as did the uncrewed Artemis I in November 2022.Source: Launch record
- What is the history of Launch Complex 39B?
- Built in the 1960s for Apollo, it launched Apollo 10 and Skylab, served the Shuttle programme, and was modified for the SLS.Source: KSC history
- Where is Launch Complex 39B located?
- At Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, USA.Source: KSC geography
Background
Launch Complex 39B served as the departure point for Artemis I in November 2022 and Artemis II in April 2026, launching all four crew members aboard the Space Launch System for the first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades. The pad is the only US facility currently capable of supporting SLS launches.
Built in the 1960s as part of the Apollo programme, Pad 39B launched Apollo 10 in 1969 and the Skylab space station in 1973. It was subsequently converted for the Space Shuttle and later extensively modified for the SLS, including a new mobile launcher and flame trench upgrades costing several hundred million dollars. It sits alongside the more famous Launch Complex 39A (used by SpaceX) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
The pad represents the physical continuity of US human spaceflight from Apollo through Shuttle to Artemis. NASA's decision to consolidate all SLS launches here makes 39B the single point of failure for America's crewed Moon programme. Any damage or extended maintenance forces a multi-year stand-down.