Trevor Mahlmann
It actually happens. NASA is finally ready to launch the massive Space Launch System rocket and, barring disaster, the Orion spacecraft is set to fly to the Moon and back.
The space agency’s final pre-launch preparations for this Artemis I mission are going so well, in fact, that NASA is now planning to fire the rocket at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, August 16, at 9 p.m. ET (01:00 UTC Wednesday). This is two days ahead of the previously announced release schedule.
This earlier date for the launch of the missile follows the completion of a test of the flight termination system over the weekend. This was the last major test of the launch system and spacecraft before launch and marks the completion of all major pre-launch activities. NASA continues to target three dates to attempt the Artemis I launch: August 29, September 2 and September 5.
The flight termination system is a single component of the missile. In the event of a problem during takeoff, ground controllers can send a signal to the flight termination system to destroy the missile before it flies off course and threatens a populated area.
Because this termination system is separate from the rocket, it has an independent power supply that is only rated for about three weeks. This limit is set by the US Space Force, which operates the East Range, including the Kennedy Space Center. The problem for NASA is that one of the proposed launch dates, September 5th, was outside of this projected range.
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However, NASA said it received an extension from Space Launch Delta 45 to validate the flight termination system from 20 to 25 days before it needs to be tested again. The waiver will apply to all Artemis I launch attempts, NASA said. However, if the mission fails to launch in one of these three attempts due to weather, a technical problem, or other reasons for grinding, the rocket will have to return to the Vehicle Assembly Building for work on the flight termination system.
Each of the three upcoming launch opportunities would allow for a “long-class” mission for the Orion spacecraft, which will detach and fly in lunar orbit for several weeks before returning to Earth and launching into the Pacific Ocean. Shipments would range from 39 to 42 days.
The Artemis I mission represents a major step forward for NASA and its ambitions for a human deep space exploration program. The rocket’s next launch will carry four astronauts around the Moon, and the third launch is planned to land a human there, possibly in the mid-2020s.
The SLS rocket program has often been criticized for its extensive delays and price tag exceeding $20 billion. But with a successful launch in a few weeks, the space agency will be able to dismiss at least one of those criticisms by proving that the massive rocket is working as intended.
