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| Above, Artemis I on the launch pad (39B) this morning. |
The U.S. Space Program is the only worthwhile government program we have. This has been my contention for years.
Am I a fan of the Space Program? You bet, ever since Project Mercury.
If all goes well, the first test flight of Artemus I will take place today. It is unmanned. Right now, there is an unplanned hold due to some rocket engine issues.
From Fox 35 Orlando:
For the first time in nearly 50 years, NASA is preparing for a historic first, launching a new powerful moon rocket, the Space Launch System, on its maiden voyage.
The last time the space agency conducted a test flight of a moon rocket was the mighty Saturn V in 1967. Two years later, a Saturn V rocket would launch the Apollo 11 mission, sending astronauts to the moon. Now, NASA is preparing to launch the SLS and Orion spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center in Florida under the Artemis program, named for Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology.
NASA is targeting Aug. 29 for liftoff sending the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis-1 test flight, a 42-journey orbiting the moon and back. No astronauts will be on board the test flight. However, if it goes well, four astronauts will launch on Artemis-2, orbiting the moon before the Artemis-3 moon landing in 2025.
To see how the SLS compares to the Saturn 5, go here.
UPDATE: Today's launch has been scrubbed due to a faulty hydrogen bleed test that didn't get it to the right temperature. The next availability to launch is September 2.
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