NASA Announces Potential August Launch Date for Artemis 1 Moon Mission

On the 53rd anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar touchdown, NASA introduced on Wednesday that it is capturing for a late August launch of its big, new moon rocket.

NASA will try the greater than month-long lunar check flight with three mannequins, however no astronauts, as early as August 29. There are additionally two launch dates in early September, earlier than NASA must stand down for 2 weeks.

NASA’s Jim Free famous the check flight begins “our Artemis program to return to the moon.” The area company’s new lunar program is called Artemis after Apollo‘s twin sister in Greek mythology.

The 30-story Space Launch System rocket and hooked up Orion capsule are presently within the hangar at Kennedy Area Heart, following repairs stemming from final month’s countdown check. Gas leaks and different technical hassle cropped up throughout NASA’s repeated launch rehearsals on the pad.

NASA officers assured reporters Wednesday that the issues have been resolved and that testing is sort of full. However they cautioned the launch dates might slip, relying on the risky Florida climate and points which may come up earlier than the rocket is meant to return to the pad on August 18.

“We’ll watch out,” mentioned Free, head of exploration methods improvement.

At 322 ft (98 meters), the rocket and Orion capsule are taller than the Statue of Liberty.

If Orion’s journey to the moon and again goes nicely, astronauts might climb aboard in 2023 for a lunar loop-around and truly land in 2025.

Astronauts final explored the moon in 1972. The primary of the 12 moonwalkers, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, stepped onto the dusty grey floor on July 20, 1969, whereas Michael Collins orbited the moon.

The 92-year-old Aldrin, the only real survivor of the three, famous the anniversary in a tweet. He said, “Neil, Michael & I had been proud to signify America as we took these big leaps for mankind. It was a second which united the world and America’s most interesting hour.”