NASA plans to carry out Artemis I mission with Space Launch System rocket in February

NASA plans to launch its Space Launch System rocket for the first time in February of 2022. The mission has faced repeated delays, but now it seems to be moving forward. The first flight with the rocket will be a test mission: a trip around the moon and back without a crew.

The mission, called Artemis I, has three potential launch moments: one in February, one in March, and one in April. The duration of the mission also depends on which of these moments is ultimately used: that can be four weeks or six weeks. There will be a wet-dress rehearsal in January ahead of the launch in February; This involves practicing the preparation and countdown, as well as the procedure for canceling a launch.

If Artemis I succeeds, the intention is to make the same flight with Artemis II around the moon and back in 2023, but with crew on board. They are in an Orion capsule. That would be the first manned spaceflight to pass a low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. Subsequently, Artemis III must actually land on the moon. The first woman would set foot on the moon. That mission was planned for 2024, but that does not seem feasible.

The development of the rocket has been criticized for years, in particular its enormous cost. More than $20 billion has already been spent and each launch is expected to cost more than $2 billion.

Image: NASA