Artemis 1: Nasa launches historic mission to the Moon


16-11-2022 10:38 AM

Ammon News -

Nasa has launched its Artemis 1 rocket to space for an uncrewed mission around the Moon.

After multiple delays from technical issues and hurricanes, the Space Launch System, with the Orion spacecraft on top of it, lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

The $4.1 billion Artemis 1 mission will pave the way for the US space agency to send astronauts to the lunar surface - more than 50 years after the Apollo era ended.

This was the first of many planned missions under the Artemis programme, which will see crewed missions to the Moon within this decade.

The rocket lifted off at 10.53pm GST, generating 3,991 tonnes of thrust, soaring at speeds of 40,233kph in about eight minutes to reach space.

Nasa broadcasted the launch live, which showed the skies turning a bright red as the rocket engines ingited and blasted off the ground.

Now, the Orion spacecraft will make its solo journey to the Moon, where it will spend a few weeks, so mission control can measure its performance.

This was the third attempt by Nasa to launch the rocket. Two previous attempts failed owing to hydrogen leaks.

Hurricane Ian also delayed an attempt in late September and the rocket also survived Hurricane Nicole while on the launch pad.

Numerous hurdles

The launch attempt on Wednesday has not been short of obstacles.

Overnight, Nasa began fuelling the rocket. It was able to load 741,940 litres of liquid oxygen into the core stage, which is now 100 per cent full.

But engineers detected a hydrogen leak in the core stage fuel replenishment system on the rocket.

A “red team” was sent out to the launch pad to tighten bolts on the valve, which was expected to take only 15 minutes, but it took about an hour.

The Nasa TV launch commentator said that the repair work could “eat into the launch window”.

“Unfortunately, the team here was unable to remedy the leak remotely,” the commentator said.

“And so it became necessary to send a crew of individuals called the Red Crew out to the launch pad to make a hands-on fix.”

At about 8am, the red crew completed their work and the liquid hydrogen started flowing again into the tank.

Then, the US Space Force's Eastern Range had to repair an ethernet switch in order to restore radar tracking data. This took 70 minutes to fix.

Why is Nasa going to the Moon?


It has been more than 50 years since humankind last set foot on the Moon in the final mission of the Apollo era.

But Nasa wants to return humans to the lunar surface under the Artemis programme and build a small station, called Lunar Gateway, in the Moon's orbit.

The space agency astronauts would be able to live and work on the Moon to carry out research, and eventually send humans to Mars from there.

Artemis 1 will measure the rocket and Orion spacecraft's performance.

The flight will also carry 10 CubeSats — miniature satellites — which will support the mission's investigations.

Artemis 2 will involve sending the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon in 2024.

A crew of four will perform a lunar fly-by for about 21 days before returning to Earth.

Artemis 3 will be the first crewed lunar landing mission, which is likely to include a woman. This mission was delayed until 2025.




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