NASA launches Artemis I mission to space early Wednesday, November 16th at 1:47 A.M. ET.
From the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket sends the Orion spacecraft on a 26-day flight around the moon.
The end goal of NASA’s Artemis missions is to put the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. The beginning step in this process was the launch of Artemis I. Eventually, NASA hopes to establish a permanent outpost on the lunar surface and send a team to Mars.
After a number of obstacles, like hurricanes and technical difficulties, the SLS took flight broadcasted on televisions, social media, and live streams through the nation. Expected to chronicle over a million miles, this spacecraft is expected to be about 60 miles from the Moon’s crust sometime next week.
Orion is predicted to land off the coast of San Diego in the Pacific Ocean on December 11th. It is to bring back vital information with it, determining the trajectory of Artemis II which will bring a crew with it into orbit.
According to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, the Orion craft will travel farther than any other craft that is built for humans has before. Entering into the new generation of space travel, NASA intends to bring us on the journey sharing images and video from headquarters and the spacecraft.
Aerospace engineering has come a long way since the 1969 moon landing. Space is an infinite unknown mystery. There is hope that this new decade of space exploration will bear a new quote: “That’s one small step for humans, one giant leap for humankind.”
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