Artemis II Rocket Stacking Begins at NASA's Kennedy Space Center - YouTube - Orion Program Update - O6 December 2024

Engineers and techinicians with the NASA Exploration Ground Systems Program completed stacking of the first Moon rocket segment-the left and right aft assemblies for the agencie's Artemis II Boeing Space and Defense Space Launch System solid rocket boosters (SRB)-onto Mobile Launcher I in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).The first of 10 booster segments will help support the remaining rocket components,the Orion spacecraft and the European Service Module during final assembly of the Artemis II Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft and Boeing Space and Defense Space Launch System rocket.Liftoff will be from Space Launch Complex 39B at Nasa Kennedy Space Center in April 2026.Note:Because of heat shield damage found on the Artemis I Orion spacecraft,it took engineers several months to devise a correction for the problem.Hence the mission will be delayed from November 2025 to April 2026.It will send humans farther from Earth than ever before.The Artemis II crew consists of NASA Commander Reid Wiseman,NASA Pilot Victor Glover,NASA Mission Specialist Christina Koch,and CSA Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.*Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)*Text by NASA Kennedy and edited and augmented by Andrew Taylor

Artemis 1 spacecraft re-enters Earth atmosphere in fiery 1-minute time-lapse

NASA Science Live: Artemis Returns to Earth with Science

Artemis 1 signal reacquired after engine burn - View is amazing! 5 December 2022

You will see Earth in a crescent phase after the Orion spacecraft completed its powered flyby burn,sending it on a homeward course.

NASA's Artemis I Orion spacecraft enters distant retrograde orbit around moon

In this video you will see the bright flare when the Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) burn commences.At the beginning of the video,in the right-hand corner you can see the receding Moon in the feed from the Deep Space Network (DSN).This blog suspects that the feed goes in and out as the DSN requires it to with its data requirements.It's working very hard during this demanding mission,with all the data traffic.

NASA Artemis I mission update - Moon flyby imagery and upcoming events

This is a good update with lots of specifics.You will find out exactly what steps are next and when in this potentially record-breaking mission.

NASA Update After Orion’s First Close Flyby of the Moon (Nov. 21, 2022) - News conference

This video includes photos of minor to moderate damage to the Mobile Launch Platform and flame trench that occurred during liftoff of the Space Launch System rocket.Repairs will be made in preparation for Artemis II,the first crewed mission on Orion in a few years'time.There is also a photo of the Snoopy weightlessness detector.

Blastoff! NASA's Artemis I moon rocket launches on historic first mission

Artemis I Countdown to Launch LIVE! Note:A breeze may be jostling the camera.

Watch NASA's Artemis I moon rocket arrive at launch pad in time-lapse 4 November 2022

Artemis I Stack Ready for Return to the Launch Pad

No earlier than 12:01 am EST on 4 November 2022,the Artemis I stack of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft will begin its return from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Space Launch Complex 39B at the NASA Kennedy Space Center,Florida on the mobile launch platform and crawler transporter.The twin solid rocket boosters are ready for flight following testing of the reaction control system and installation of flight batteries.Batteries were also replaced on the Boeing Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS),which had passed a series of tests to confirm its readiness.Confidence checks were also performed on the launch vehicle stage adapter and core stage forward skirt.Charging of secondary payloads on the Orion stage adapter is complete,NASA said in its blog.* Furthermore,teams recharged,replaced and reinstalled several radiation instruments and the crew seat accelerometer inside Orion.Specimens for the space biology payload will be refereshed at Launch Pad 39B.The hatches of the Lockheed Martin Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV)and Launch Abort System (LAS) have been closed for rollout,while final closeouts will be made at the pad prior to launch.Launch will occur no sooner than 14 November.* Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

Artemis I Update 27 September 2022

On Monday,NASA decided that a rollback from Space Launch Complex 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building was necessary because of threatening weather from Hurricane Ian.Not only does it put the Orion spacecraft/Space Launch System rocket stack at risk;there is also the necessity to give staff members time to prepare themselves and their families for the imminent emergency.So the rollback began at about 11 p.m. on 26 September.This postponement may result in delaying the next launch window for the uncrewed test flight till November.

Artemis I Launch Postponed

The launch of NASA'S Artemis I uncrewed test flight,scheduled for a launch window beginning 27 September 2022,has been postponed due to inclement weather in the form of Tropical Storm Ian,which is expected to become a hurricane affecting Florida.It looks as though a rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building could be necessary to safeguard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.This follows successful completion of a tanking test in which a workaround of hydrogen leaks that may crop up was verified.

Artemis I tanking test 'went really well,' leak troubleshooting explained

Artemis 1's next launch attempt may be last week of September, NASA submitted waiver request

When Will Artemis I Be Launched?

The answer isn't known yet.The hydrogen leak that caused the second scrub may be repairable on the pad,which could open up the date of 19 September,when the next two-week launch window begins.The problem with that is,the U.S. Space Force requires that the flight termination system be re-certified every 25 days,and to do that,you have to transport the rocket back into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for the necessary procedures.The flight termination system is required by the Space Force to ensure public safety,since it is what would destroy a rocket gone astray.The Space Force is in charge of the Eastern Range,including public safety within it,so it is the authority in this case.NASA may ask the Space Force for a waiver of the re-certification requirement,but the Space Force would have the final say. If the rocket must be transported back to the VAB,the launch will have to be delayed till sometime in October.Bear in mind that SpaceX is to launch the SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the ISS on a Falcon 9 rocket in early October with two NASA Astronauts,a JAXA Astronaut and a ROSCOMOS Cosmonaut on board.That means the Artemis I launch has to be reconciled with the SpaceX Crew-5 launch. The Eastern Range is a rocket range managed from Patrick Space Force Base,Florida by Space Launch Delta 45 and controls all launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base and NASA Kennedy Space Center.

NASA chief talks latest Artemis 1 launch scrub, possible VAB roll back

NASA Live: Official Stream of NASA TV

Artemis 1 Countdown Live!

When will Artemis 1 moon rocket launch? New date & time announced! 3 September 2022 - Launch window opens at 2:17 PM Eastern