This super powerful rocket won't carry people—instead, two fake torsos will be on board.
One week to launch: Checking the calendar
NASA can’t just plop the 5.8-million-pound Artemis 1 on the pad at a whim. Many factors have to come together for a successful launch, and the rocket is only one of them. Earth, moon, and sun have to be in the right spots so the spacecraft’s flight maneuvers get it to the proper place. The sun is especially critical, because Artemis 1 is powered in part by solar panels.that fit the requirements: August 29, September 2, and September 5.
Selecting one of those dates will likely happen just days before launch. The US Navy, which recovers the fallen husks of discarded rocket stages, has to be ready. The pad, also used by SpaceX vehicles, has to be clear of other rockets. And the weather has to be cooperative. “We’re in hurricane season down here in Florida,” Lanham says.If none of those dates pan out, the next opportunities will come in late September or early October.
Then, assuming Artemis 1 is successful, it will be just the first mission of a much larger list. “This is not really the culmination,” says Lanham. “It’s just the beginning.” The timeline of the first crewed Artemis 2 mission—which will fly around the moon and return to Earth, much like
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