NASA wants to launch Artemis I mission with SLS rocket August 29 or early September

NASA has shared new possible launch dates for its Artemis I mission with the Space Launch System moon rocket. The space agency hopes to launch the rocket on August 29, September 2 or September 5.

According to NASA’s current plans, the SLS rocket will be brought to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 18, the space agency confirms. during a press conference. There would then be launch opportunities on the three dates mentioned. The space agency does indicate that the rest of the preparations must go well in order to achieve these dates and that this schedule has therefore not yet been finalized. NASA says it will make a more concrete commitment closer to launch.

The SLS rocket will be launched with the Artemis I mission, which will launch the rocket to the moon with a crewless Orion capsule. The Orion capsule must then remain in orbit around the moon for six days to collect data, after which it returns to Earth and then crashes into the ocean. Artemis I is an advance toward the crewed Artemis III moon mission, set to take place in 2025.

Depending on the launch date, the mission duration of Artemis I may change. If the rocket is launched on August 29, the test will last 42 days and land on October 10. When launched on September 2, the mission would last 39 days and land on October 11. If the rocket lands on September 5, the mission will last 42 days with a landing on October 17.

NASA initially wanted to launch the SLS rocket this spring, but that was delayed after problems. For example, the Artemis I mission was already postponed at the end of last year due to an engine problem of the SLS. Then the wet dress rehearsal went wrong three times. In such a test, the Space Launch System rocket is filled with fuel. The launch procedure is then completed and aborted at the last moment. Ultimately, the wet dress rehearsal was largely completed on June 20, although this fourth attempt also ended twenty seconds earlier than planned. NASA says it sees the test as a success