The countdown to the launch of the Artemis I Mission of the POT is nearing its end. The SLS (Space Launch System) megarocket and the Orion spacecraft, which will reach the orbit of the Moon without a crew, are already at their take-off base in the Kennedy Space Centerin Cape Canaveral, Florida.
August 29 is the designated date for the flight, with two attempts in case it cannot be done on that day: on September 2 and 5.
The imposing rocket, 98.3 meters high and with a load capacity of 130 tons, it will carry the ship without astronauts, with three mannequins (Helga, Zohar and Moonikin Campos) and several instruments for experimentation, up to the orbit of our natural satellite.
The goal in this first phase is to know not only the development of the SLS and the Orion ship, but also the effects of radiation and the benefits of the new suit, among other details.
For Artemis II, this flight will be done again, but with the designated astronauts. On Artemis III, the first woman and the next man will reach the surface of the Moon.
The trajectory of the SLS megarocket and the Orion spacecraft on NASA’s Artemis I Mission
The SLS mega rocket will provide 8.8 million pounds of thrust for launch.
the ship will go 450 thousand kilometers from Earth and 64 thousand kilometers beyond our natural satellite for 42 days, according to the first forecasts, to return to the planet and fall on the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California.
After the installation of the rocket at the launch pad, NASA explains that “The engineers and technicians will configure the systems on the platform” during the next few days.
“Teams have worked to refine operations and procedures, incorporating lessons learned from the dress rehearsal test campaign.”
The agency describes the Artemis Program as “the first step in the next era of human exploration. Together with commercial and international partners, NASA will establish a sustainable presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.”