Artemis I Launch Thread
(NASA)
Hello and welcome to the Artemis I launch thread! In this thread, you will see a variety of updates and milestones relating to the Artemis I mission, the first mission in the Artemis program, which has the goal of the United States and its partners putting a man back on the moon for the first time since the conclusion of the Apollo program in the year 1972.
What will the Timeline of the Mission Look Like?
To see a view of the mission timeline, please take a look below at the NASA graphic:
(NASA)
What Equipment is Being Used for this Flight?
On this mission, two key parts of the Artemis program will be put through a large series of tests for future spaceflight; these are the Orion spacecraft, and it’s launch vehicle, the Space Launch System.
Information About the Equipment
Orion Spacecraft
(NASA)
Making its debut as a full spacecraft, the Orion Spacecraft will be one of the most significant parts of this mission. After originally making its spaceflight debut as a Crew Module only flight atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket in December 2014 the European Service Module will be joined to form the full spacecraft. The Crew Module is built by Lockheed Martin, while the European Service Module is built by Airbus Defense and Space.
Space Launch System
(NASA)
Making its first launch, the Space Launch System if everything goes according to schedule will become the largest rocket ever launched into space, beating its predecessor from the Apollo program, the Saturn V. The Space Launch System is built in a variety of sections, with the primary sections being the Core Stage, the Solid Rocket Boosters, the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter, and finally the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. The Core Stage is built by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, the Solid Rocket Boosters are built by Northrop Grumman, the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter is built by Teledyne Brown Engineering, and the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage is built by Boeing Defense, Space & Security alongside United Launch Alliance.
What Significant Events are Occurring with the Launch?
Scheduled for sometime in the summer of 2022, the Space Launch System is expected to undergo a Wet Dress Rehearsal for the mission; during this, the rocket’s flight computers will be tested, the launch countdown will be run, and the rocket’s Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen tanks will be filled with propellant
Scheduled for somewhere in August 2022, the actual launch of the Space Launch System will occur, and the beginning of the Artemis program, this flight is expected to last for 26 days.
