posted 08-16-2022 09:10 PM               

Symbolic baton rides with NASA Artemis I rocket on rollout for launch

A small metal rod joined NASA's new moon-bound rocket for an overnight move to the launchpad on Tuesday (Aug. 16), serving as a symbolic marker for the milestone event.

The logo-adorned golden baton was handed off by the Artemis I launch team to the crew driving the crawler-transporter carrying the Space Launch System (SLS) booster and Orion spacecraft to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Unlike the rocket, which barring any problems was making a one-way trip, the rod was set to return to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to then follow the mission from the ground.