NASA/Ben Smegelski NASA is “going” for a postmorning launch of the biggest rocket ever—and that includes the last flight of the Saturn V in 1973. A flight readiness review this week confirmed that the Artemis-1 mission will launch during a two-hour window that opens at 8:33 a.m. EDT on Monday, August 29. However, if for any reason it does not start on schedule, the next time it can go is noon on Friday, September 2, 2022. Artemis-1 is a mission like no other—a long-duration journey to the Moon, beyond, and back. The first in an increasingly complex series of missions, Artemis I will test NASA’s new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and the Orion spacecraft as an integrated system before crewed flights to the Moon. At 322 feet tall, the SLS will be the world’s most powerful rocket to launch since NASA’s last “Saturn V Moon Rocket” launched the Skylab space station into Earth orbit in 1973. With 8.8 million pounds (3.9 million kg) of thrust, the SLS is the most powerful rocket ever built. You don’t want to miss this! Here’s everything you need to know to watch the launch of Artemis-1:
Where will Artemis-1 launch from?
Artemis-1 will launch from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
When will Artemis-1 launch?
Artemis-1 is scheduled to launch on Monday, August 29, 2022. The launch window opens at 8:33 AM. EST and closes at 10:33 A.M. EST. If the launch is cleared, there are two other launch dates—Friday, September 2 (12:48 – 2:48 PM EDT) and Monday, September 5 (5:12 – 6:42 PM EDT).
Why Artemis-1 can’t launch a day late
The position of the Moon. The orbit of the solar-powered Orion spacecraft must not take it into the path of an eclipse—the Moon’s shadow—for more than 90 minutes or it will lose power entirely. If it does not start by September 6, the next launch window is September 19, 2022. A bright blue sky serves as the backdrop for the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion… [+] spacecraft atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA/Kim Shifflett
When and where to watch the launch of Artemis-1
NASA YouTube is the place to watch extended launch coverage on Monday, August 29, 2022. Although programming actually begins at midnight, actual launch coverage begins at 6:30 a.m. NASA TV is also available on the NASA website, Facebook, Twitch and in 4k on the NASA UHD channel. Here’s the exact schedule as well as some not-to-be-missed events in the hours after launch:
6:30 am EST: live launch coverage begins in English (in Spanish it’s 7:30 a.m. EST on separate streams on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube). 8:33-10:33 am EST: Launch window. About an hour after takeoff there will be a post-launch press conference. 4:00 p.m. EST: Coverage of Orion’s first outgoing orbit on the way to the Moon. The exact time depends on the exact lifting time. 5:30 p.m. EST: Coverage of the first views of Earth by Orion during its outbound coast to the Moon. The exact time depends on the exact lifting time.
Where to find updates on the launch of Artemis-1
Missile launches are rarely on time, so be prepared for delays, cleanups, etc. Make plans, but know that you will probably need to redo them. Watch the @NASAArtemis and @NASA Twitter feeds for updates on launch times and coverage changes. During Artemis I, Orion will travel thousands of miles past the moon during about a … [+] three week shipment. NASA
What will Artemis-1 do?
The spacecraft and rocket will launch, orbit the Earth, and then send Orion and ESM into an elliptical orbit of the Moon that will see them come within 69 miles/111 kilometers of its surface – sometime on September 7, 2022 – and about 40,000 miles beyond it in the days after. That’s farther than any human-built spacecraft has ever flown. It will then return for an even closer flyby of the Moon on the way home.
When will Artemis-1 land?
If successfully launched, the Artemis-1 mission will last 42 days, launching off the coast of San Diego, California into the Pacific Ocean on October 10, 2022.
Ultimate goal of the Artemis Program
Artemis-1 will mark the beginning of humanity’s return to the Moon. The last humans to set foot on the lunar surface were Apollo 17 astronauts Jack Schmitt and Gene Cernan in 1972. The plan is to land the first woman and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon’s south pole, possibly in 2025 on Artemis -1 Mission. Next up is Artemis-2 in 2024, largely a repeat of Artemis-1, but with four astronauts on board to test Orion’s life support systems. Artemis-2 will be a 10-day mission with two Earth orbits before going 4,600 miles beyond the far side of the Moon. I wish you clear skies and open eyes.
