Launch Complex 39B

Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is an operational clean-pad launch complex used by Exploration Ground Systems for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion Artemis missions. Artemis II launched from the pad on April 1, 2026; NASA then moved the mobile launcher to the Vehicle Assembly Building on April 17 for post-flight inspections, repairs and Artemis III stacking preparations, currently targeted for 2027. Upgrades include a refurbished flame trench and new flame deflector, lightning protection, communications and propellant systems, supporting SLS and potential multi-user launch operations. The complex is a government launch facility, not a general walk-in visitor destination; access requires Kennedy authorization and mission or visitor arrangements. Facility reference: Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida, United States.