NASA Set to Kick Off First Moon Voyage in 50 Years
All systems are a go at the Kennedy Space Center, the Florida-based NASA conclave currently home to the Artemis I rocket. Barring any last-minute changes, the space agency has officially cleared the mission for take-off bright and early on Monday, August 29th. As it stands now, the Artemis I mission—made up of the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the cutting-edge Orion space capsule—will launch from Pad 39B at 8:33 a.m. Eastern Time.
As with all other NASA launches, the Artemis I launch will be live on NASA TV, which has a 24/7 livestream on YouTube. In fact, you can watch the launch right below. Live programming is set to start two hours before launch at 6:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Artemis I is a big launch for a number of reasons, the largest being that it's the biggest step the United States has taken to get boots back on the moon. The Orion capsule is set to orbit the moon on a mission that will last upwards of 26 days. Should Artemis I be successful, NASA will then get to work on Artemis II, which will be the first crewed flight of the Artemis program.
If all goes to plan Artemis II will launch in 2024 in preparation for Artemis III in 2025, which will be the first time American astronauts have stood on the moon since 1972.
"With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before," the official Artemis program mission statement reads. "We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars."