NASA Declares 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 taking pictures 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 house company’s new lunar program is called Artemis after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology.

The 30-story Area Launch System rocket and connected Orion capsule are at the moment within the hangar at Kennedy Area Middle, following repairs stemming from final month’s countdown check. Gas leaks and different technical bother 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 nearly full. However they cautioned the launch dates may 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 techniques growth.

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 effectively, astronauts may 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 have been proud to characterize America as we took these big leaps for mankind. It was a second which united the world and America’s best hour.”