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Nis back on track for the Artemis 1 launch, the mission that kicks off man’s return to the moon. A faulty temperature gauge, followed by hydrogen fuel-line leaks, then finally a hurricane, has seen the spaceship grounded since July. But NASA is now ready to try again.
The date slated for the next launch attempt is Monday November 14. NASA will have a window of just 69 minutes on this date to accomplish the lift-off.
November 16 as well as November 19 are back-up dates. The viable launch windows are quite specific, largely because engineers need the craft to be in the right position to attain the targeted trajectory that will take it all the way around the moon and back to Earth on a 42-day journey.
Artemis 1 is the uncrewed lunar flyby, coming within 100km of the moon’s surface six days after launch. Artemis 2, currently scheduled for May 2024, will see four astronauts aboard. It will not land on the moon, but pass over the moon’s surface at an average altitude of 7 500km.
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Artemis 3 is the big one. This is the mission that is scheduled to put people back on the moon for the first time since 1972. It will land at the lunar south pole. While four astronauts could take the ride to the moon, the design of the landing system only accommodates two people. NASA has said one will be a woman.
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The two astronauts will spend six and a half days on the moon’s surface. They will venture out of the lander in up to four moon walks. It won’t only be walks though, as before they land, a supply mission will drop off a rover.
The rover will be able to be both driven as well as remote controlled. It should have the capability of covering up to 15km of ground. This range doesn’t sound like much, but it could prove crucial to accomplishing one of the main mission goals, which is to find and investigate the nature of water-based lunar ice.
Artemis 3 has no set launch date yet, except ‘not before 2025’. There are a few major hurdles to overcome first though. Chief among these is the development of suitable spacesuits. NASA has outsourced this job and awarded contracts to a few private companies.
Second, the completion and testing of the landing system and lunar habitat module is key. SpaceX has the contract for this. The development was delayed because Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin couldn’t stop suing NASA over how it awarded the contract. That matter has now been settled.
Finally, Artemis 3 can only go ahead following the successful completion of the Artemis 1 and 2 missions, which is why we are keeping a close eye on how Artemis 1 fares.
Looking at the moon now, literally, and it will rise in the east in the late afternoon today. As the sky darkens you will be able to see a very bright star-like object ahead of it. That is Jupiter. The moon will be full on Tuesday November 8.