The Artemis rocket Set to launch early Wednesday morning, it is the latest attempt to send an unmanned capsule close to the Moon after a series of delays due to… weather and mechanical issues.
NASA Pay for retreat It was scheduled to take off Monday after Hurricane Nicole made landfall 85 miles south of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Jim Frye, associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said the rocket, which remained on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center during the storm, sustained “minor” damage that is easy to repair. Press Conference Friday.
The moon rises above a Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard Launch Pad 39B as preparations for the Artemis mission continue at Kennedy Space Center, November 14, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images
The launch marks the first step in an ambitious plan to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface for scientific discovery and economic development. Ultimately, the Artemis expedition could lead to the first manned spaceflight to Mars, according to NASA.
The space capsule will travel for about 25 days — coming within about 60 miles of the moon, then 40,000 miles above the moon when it orbits its dark side — before landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on December 11.
If Artemis is declared ready, a two-hour window will open at 1:04 a.m. ET. If required, backup windows are Saturday 19 November and Friday 25 November. NASA will broadcast the launch on NASA TV.
The expedition has suffered a series of setbacks since then original launch date Vice President Kamala Harris was expected to host among some 100,000 spectators.
NASA canceled the initial liftoff, scheduled for August 29, after a faulty sensor prevented one of the rocket’s engines from cooling to the desired pre-ignition temperature.
A NASA Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft atop Launch Pad 39B as final preparations for the Artemis I mission are made at Kennedy Space Center, November 14, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Kevin Deitch/Getty Images
Days later, a second launch attempt on September 3 was canceled after the space agency identified a liquid hydrogen leak.
A planned third launch attempt, on September 27, faced a delay due to the accident Hurricane Ian. The missile was moved from the launch pad to protect it, as Ian wreaked havoc along its path north from Florida to the Carolinas.
In all, Artemis includes four missions, each of which will cost about $4.1 billion. Altogether, the project will cost up to $93 billion by 2025, according to Audit From NASA’s Office of Inspector General.
If Artemis I is successful, Artemis II will take four astronauts near the moon in 2024. After that, Artemis III will take a manned spacecraft to land on the moon. Finally, Artemis IV will fly to a space station near the Moon.
Over the course of the Artemis missions, NASA plans to send the first female astronaut and first female astronaut of color to the moon.
NASA hopes that the Artemis Expedition will enable a manned trip to Mars in the following years.