NASA to launch Artemis 1 Mission
On Sep. 27, at Kennedy Space Center, NASA will launch Artemis 1, the first in a series of missions that aims to test NASA’s new technology for exploring deep space. In this mission, the Orion Spacecraft, which is the first spacecraft in history capable of carrying humans on long-duration missions in deep space, will launch using the Space Launch System rocket, the most powerful rocket in the world. This spacecraft will fly farther than any spacecraft has ever flown, going 280,000 miles away from Earth and 40,000 miles away from the far side of the moon. Artemis 1 will break records when it comes to space travel, but it will also begin a new age of human exploration of deep space. The Artemis 1 mission is a test flight for new technology that will eventually be used to send astronauts to test systems near the Moon. Hopefully it will also be used for future missions on the surface of the Moon as well as destinations even farther from Earth, such as Mars.
The Artemis missions will be a set of 3 missions. Artemis 1 is an unmanned test flight, Artemis 2 will take humans the farthest they have ever been in space, and Artemis 3 will be the first moon landing since 1972. Artemis 2 is expected to launch no earlier than 2024 and Artemis 3 is expected to launch in 2025. The Artemis missions intend to keep people on the Moon for weeks to months rather than just a few days. It will also be one of NASA’s first large-scale collaborations with commercial companies.
Originally, the Artemis 1 was scheduled to be launched on Aug. 29, however due to a problem in the engine, it was delayed to Sept. 3. However, at the new launch, a fuel leak occurred, so it was delayed again. Recently, NASA has announced a new launch date of Sept. 27, with Oct. 2 being a backup date. If neither of these launch dates work, the next launch period will be between Oct. 17 and Oct. 21. Tests to ensure the success of the mission took place on Sept. 21.
Development for this project started in 2010, and Artemis 1 was originally supposed to launch in 2017, but the launch was delayed and the budget has risen from an initial $7 billion to $23 billion. With this increased budget and its overall purpose, this mission, and the Artemis missions overall may change the course of human history.
