In Greek mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo reflecting the shared aims of both missions.Īrtemis I is the first uncrewed launch of the SLS, where the rocket and Orion spacecraft will be tested to see if they operate as intended in space, as well as carrying the names of people across the world into orbit. NASA's Artemis program is the successor to Apollo, and will see humans return to the Moon for the first time in over 60 years. While no date has been set yet, it is expected later this year. The rocket will then be taken back to the Vehicle Assembly Building where it will be prepared for its first test flight. Around 10 seconds before the end of the clock, the launch will be cancelled and the fuel drained, to practice what could happen if poor weather requires a postponement. The SLS will be brought to the edge of launching, before the countdown clock is reset to 10 minutes before launch. This will see the rocket put through its paces on the launchpad as engineers test all of its systems ahead of a practice launch. Having reached its destination, it will now undergo what is known as a 'wet dress rehearsal'. It took almost 11 hours for the rocket to make the journey, with the mobile-launch platform carrying it having a top speed of only one kilometre per hour. The SLS was moved to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre, from which Apollo 10 and many other Space Shuttle missions launched. What is happening to the Space Launch System? The SLS faces competition to get to the Moon from the private company SpaceX, which hopes to get nine members of the public to the Moon by 2023. 'There is no doubt that we are in a golden era of human space exploration, discovery and ingenuity, and it all begins with Artemis I.' NASA's Artemis program will pave the way for humanity's giant leap – future missions to Mars. This generation will return astronauts to the Moon and this time, we will land the first woman and the first person of colour on the surface to conduct groundbreaking science. Speaking as the SLS was brought out for the first time, NASA's administrator Senator Bill Nelson said, 'Today a new generation, not the Apollo generation but the Artemis generation, is preparing to reach new frontiers. Later versions are planned which will take the cargo necessary to build this build this space station ahead of travel to Mars. This initial version of the rocket is intended as a test flight for later stages of the Artemis program, which aims to put a space station in orbit around the Moon. It is on its way to the launchpad ahead of final testing and could take off later this year if it passes. The race is on for humans to return to the Moon after the debut of NASA's new spacecraft.Ĭurrently the most powerful rocket ever built, the SLS debuted in public yesterday after over a decade in development.
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