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?
Timeline for Launch Complex 39B
Five open Orion items, no fix dates
Artemis II Moon MissionMentioned in: Four Astronauts Leave Earth for the Moon
Artemis II Moon MissionWhat is Launch Complex 39B?
Did Artemis II launch from Pad 39B?
What is the history of Launch Complex 39B?
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.