The US space agency NASA announced Monday evening that its new mega-rocket SLS with an unmanned “Orion” capsule will fly to the moon for the first time as part of the “Artemis” mission. The launch of the nearly 100-meter-high rocket is scheduled for next Monday.
The landmark mission, the first of NASA’s “Artemis” program aimed at returning astronauts to the moon, will lift off from launch pad 36B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will be the maiden flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) mega-rocket, NASA’s most powerful rocket ever, and a critical test of its Orion space capsule.
“This day has lasted a long time”
“We’re about to launch, which is absolutely amazing,” NASA Deputy Administrator Robert Cabana told reporters at a news conference Monday night. “This day has lasted a long time.”
Space capsule stays in space for 26 days
In mid-March, NASA first brought its new nearly 100-meter-high SLS rocket to the Cape Canaveral, Florida, launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. Since then, it has been put to the test there. The space capsule “Orion” at the top will be in space for 26 days during the test flight, orbiting the moon and then returning to Earth.
Astronauts are expected to set foot on the moon again in 2025
With the “Artemis” mission, American astronauts should land on the moon for the first time in more than half a century, including the first woman, by 2024. Due to numerous delays, this landing will now take place in 2025 at the earliest.
The mission will put four astronauts in the Orion capsule (white in the image above) into orbit around the moon, where two of them will be transferred to a SpaceX lander for the final approach to the moon.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
