Although Tropical Storm Nicole battered the Florida Space Coast last week with winds of 100 mph, NASA has confirmed that the Artemis I Moon mission will launch as scheduled this week in a thrilling night launch.
Even the agency’s Saturn V “Moon rocket,” which was last utilised in 1973, pales in comparison to the SLS as the biggest rocket ever built. With 8.8 million pounds (3.9 million kg) of thrust, the SLS, which stands 322 feet tall, is also a “Moon rocket.”
While an astronomer will webcast real-time pictures of the spacecraft hurtling across Europe shortly after takeoff, the space agency has also confirmed its plans for live coverage. You can experience this particularly unique rocket launch by following the instructions below.
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What is the Artemis I mission?
Long-distance Artemis I travels 1.3 million miles (2.1 million kilometres) to the Moon, past the Moon, and then back. It will test both the Orion spacecraft for crewed missions to the Moon and NASA’s new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), the largest rocket ever built.
When will Artemis I launch?
There will be a two-hour window to observe the historic launch on November 16, 2022, at 1:04 a.m. EST (6:04 a.m. GMT). That occurs on November 15, 2022, at 10:04.
Be ready, though, for rescheduled launches and delays. Follow @NASAArtemis and @NASA on Twitter for updates on launch times and coverage adjustments.
When and where to watch the Artemis-1 launch
NASA On Saturday, September 3, 2022, YouTube will have a comprehensive launch coverage. Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at 10:30 p.m. EST, is the start of launch coverage.
Additionally, you may watch NASA TV on the NASA website, Facebook, Twitch, and in 4K on NASA’s UHD channel.
The precise schedule is provided below, along with some activities you shouldn’t miss in the hours following launch:
- 10:30 p.m. EST: live launch coverage begins in English
- 1:04 a.m. EST through 3:04 a.m. EST: launch window.
- 2:04 a.m. EST (earliest): Around an hour after lift-off will be a post-launch news conference.
- 8:30 a.m. EST: Coverage of Orion’s first outbound trajectory burn on the way to the Moon.
- 10:00 a.m. EST: Coverage of first Earth views from Orion during outbound coast to the Moon.
What happens if there’s another scrub?
The following launch window will be available on Saturday, November 19, 2022, if the launch is scrubbed (this is the fourth attempt). NASA regulations state that there can only be three attempts in a week. Because of this, if Saturday is scrubbed, Tuesday must be the day of the following launch.
What Artemis I will do after launch
Orion and the ESM will be launched by the spacecraft and rocket, orbit the Earth, and then be sent into an elliptical orbit around the Moon. In the days that follow, they will pass within 69 miles (111 kilometres) of the Moon’s surface and be roughly 40,000 miles beyond it. That exceeds the range of any human-built spaceship. Afterward, on its way back to Earth, it will turn around and fly even closer past the Moon.
How to watch Artemis I on the way to the Moon
If everything goes according to plan, the robotic telescopes of the Virtual Telescope Project will be pointed towards the Orion capsule as it travels to the Moon. On November 17, 2022, starting at 03:30 UTC, Orion will be visible live. At that time, it will be at a distance of roughly 180,000 km from Earth, or 45% of the average lunar distance.
How long will the Artemis I mission last?
exactly 25 days, a significant reduction from the initial 42-day projection. The Moon’s alignment is the reason. The Orion spacecraft is solar-powered, thus its trajectory must avoid crossing an eclipse’s path (the Moon’s shadow) for longer than 90 minutes. If it does, it will lose all power.
The Artemis I mission will splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, on Sunday, December 11, 2022, assuming a successful launch on November 16, 2022.
The first of three planned missions, Artemis I, will launch in 2022. Artemis II will carry four men in 2024, and Artemis III would send two humans to the lunar surface in 2025 or later.
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