posted 05-16-2022 03:01 PM               

Artemis I Mission Availability

When Artemis I is ready to launch, a range of personnel from NASA, industry, and several international partners will be poised to support the mission. Before they get to launch day, the alignment of the Earth and Moon will determine when the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the uncrewed Orion spacecraft atop it can launch, along with several criteria for rocket and spacecraft performance.

To determine potential launch dates, engineers identified key constraints required to accomplish the mission and keep the spacecraft safe. The resulting launch periods are the days or weeks where the spacecraft and rocket can meet mission objectives. These launch periods account for the complex orbital mechanics involved in launching on a precise trajectory toward the Moon while the Earth is rotating on its axis and the Moon is orbiting Earth each month in its lunar cycle. This results in a pattern of approximately two weeks of launch opportunities, followed by two weeks without launch opportunities.

There are four primary parameters that dictate launch availability within these periods. These key constraints are unique to the Artemis I mission and future launch availability beyond this flight will be determined based on capabilities and trajectories unique to each mission.

• The launch day must account for the Moon's position in its lunar cycle so that the SLS rocket's upper stage can time the trans-lunar injection burn with enough performance to successfully intercept the "on ramp" for the lunar distant retrograde orbit. The more powerful Exploration Upper Stage on future configurations of the rocket will enable daily, or near-daily, launch opportunities to the Moon, depending on the orbit desired.

• The resulting trajectory for a given day must ensure Orion is not in darkness for more than 90 minutes at a time so that the solar array wings can receive and convert sunlight to electricity and the spacecraft can maintain an optimal temperature range. Mission planners eliminate potential launch dates that would send Orion into extended eclipses during the flight. This constraint requires knowledge of the Earth, Moon, and Sun along the planned mission trajectory path before the mission ever occurs, as well as an understanding of the Orion spacecraft's battery state of charge before entering an eclipse.

• The launch date must support a trajectory that allows for the skip entry technique planned during Orion's return to Earth. A skip entry is a maneuver in which the spacecraft dips into the upper part of Earth's atmosphere and use that atmosphere, along with the lift of the capsule, to simultaneously slow down and skip back out of the atmosphere, then reenter for final descent and splashdown. The technique allows engineers to pinpoint Orion's splashdown location and on future missions will help lower the aerodynamic breaking loads astronauts inside the spacecraft will experience, and maintain the spacecraft's structural loads within design limits.

• The launch date must support daylight conditions for Orion's splashdown to initially assist recovery personnel when they locate, secure, and retrieve the spacecraft from the Pacific Ocean.

The periods below show launch availability through the end of 2022. Mission planners refine the periods based on updated analysis approximately two months before they begin and are subject to change.

July 26 – August 10

• 13 launch opportunities
  
• No launch availability on August 1, 2, and 6

August 23 – September 6 (preliminary)

• 12 launch opportunities
  
• No launch availability on August 30, 31, and Sept. 1

September 20 – October 4 (preliminary)

• 14 launch opportunities
  
• No launch availability on Sept. 29

October 17 – October 31 (preliminary)

• 11 launch opportunities
  
• No launch availability on October 24, 25, 26, and 28

November 12 – November 27 (preliminary)

• 12 launch opportunities
  
• No launch availability on November 20, 21, and 26

December 9 – December 23 (preliminary)

• 11 launch opportunities
  
• No launch availability on December 10, 14, 18, and 23

The calendar also designates whether a launch on a particular date will beshorter in duration, of between 26 and 28 days, or longer in duration, of between 38 and 42 days. The mission duration is varied by performing either a half lap or one and a half laps around the Moon in the distant retrograde orbit before returning to Earth and increases the number of days the mission can launch and meet the above constraints

In addition to the launch opportunities based on orbital mechanics and performance requirements, there also is an operational constraint driven by infrastructure at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Because of their size, the sphere-shaped tanks used to store cryogenic propellant at the launch pad can only supply a limited number of launch attempts depending on the type of propellant. Liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen are loaded in the rocket's core state and upper stage on the day of launch. Should the launch subsequently be called off, there is a minimum of 48 hours until a second launch attempt can be made. There is then a 72-hour minimum before a third attempt can be made, due to the need to resupply the cryogenic storage sphere with more propellant from nearby sources. In any given week, no more than three launch attempts that include core stage tanking can occur.

posted 06-10-2022 05:18 PM               

NASA will provide live coverage of the test [with commentary] on NASA Television media channel, as well as host media calls before and after the wet dress rehearsal test with audio streaming live on the agency's website.

posted 06-20-2022 06:25 PM               

The hydrogen valve on the core stage has been closed as part of the steps being taken to mask the leak from the computers controlling the terminal count.

New planned T-0 is 7:37 p.m. EDT (2337 GMT).

From Jim Free, NASA's Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems:

We want to get most out of test today, because the more we do, the more we learn. We will get as deep as we can in the count, but may stop to keep SLS and Orion safe.

posted 06-20-2022 07:05 PM               

Like any tests we run, we'll go take the data, we'll go look at what we got, we'll go look at the couple of things that we didn't get and we'll lay out a plan for how we go forward. Probably a little premature to answer tonight after a long day, but certainly tomorrow we'll be back at it and we'll be looking at the data and laying out how we proceed forward.

posted 07-20-2022 10:49 AM               

The launch window on Aug. 29 would open at 8:33 a.m. EDT and last 120 minutes. The mission would last 42 days, splashing down on Oct. 10.

On Sept. 2, the window opens at 12:48 p.m. EDT and extends 120 minutes. The mission duration would be 39 days, landing on Oct. 11.

On Sept. 5, the window opens at 5:12 p.m. EDT and extends 90 minutes. The mission would be 42 days, returning to Earth on Oct. 17.

To support an Aug. 29 launch attempt, the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft will need to be rolled back out to launchpad 39B on Aug. 18.

posted 08-22-2022 06:59 PM               

Following the Aug. 22 flight readiness review, NASA managers provide a news update on the Artemis I mission, scheduled to launch at 8:33 a.m. EDT (12:33 UTC), Monday, August 29, 2022.

Participants in the briefing are:

• Janet Petro, director, Kennedy Space Center
  
• Jim Free, associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
  
• Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
  
• Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy
  
• Howard Hu, Orion Program manager, Johnson
  
• Chris Cianciola, Space Launch System Program deputy manager, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

posted 08-24-2022 11:14 AM               

At approximately 9:00 a.m. EDT on Aug. 23, 2022, our NASA astronauts conducted a flyby to honor the launch of Artemis I and check out their potential future ride!

posted 08-24-2022 02:23 PM               

The vehicle does not have a serial number but it has a unique part number. They are the following:

• SLS Only: 97M62020-001
  
• SLS + Orion and Secondary Payloads: 97M62010-001

The program decided to use these numbers instead of a serial number because each vehicle is unique. When the Artemis missions and hardware become more regular in configuration, the use of serial numbers might be used at a later date.

posted 08-25-2022 07:59 AM               

This week we flew over the Artemis I Space Launch System, thanking the NASA centers across the country that put this moon rocket on Kennedy Space Center's pad and celebrating the upcoming test flight! Official NASA photographer Josh V. shot the first photo followed by views from our cockpit (#3).

posted 08-25-2022 01:56 PM               

On Sunday, a pattern shift back to southeast flow is expected, which should decrease the coverage of the showers and thunderstorms along the Space Coast. This flow regime will remain in place for the opening of the initial launch window Monday morning. While the overall lightning threat seems low, this onshore flow regime will promote scattered showers across the Atlantic waters through the launch window. As a result, the primary weather concerns for a Monday morning attempt will be the Cumulus Cloud Rule, Surface Electric Fields Rule, and the Flight Through Precipitation constraint.

posted 08-25-2022 07:28 PM               

• Nichole Ayers
  
• Jack Hathaway
  
• Christina Koch
  
• Drew Morgan

Many NASA Astronauts and astronaut candidates flew to NASA's Kennedy Space Center ahead of launch to check out Orion and the rocket.

posted 08-26-2022 12:20 PM               

NASA is getting ready for the launch of the SLS rocket which is currently scheduled for August 29. Known as Artemis 1, this will be its first test flight with an uncrewed Orion spacecraft. Here is our satellite view from today, August 25, of the rocket at Launch Complex 39B.

posted 08-26-2022 12:22 PM               

Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentlemen Doug Emhoff to Travel to Kennedy Space Center, Florida

On Monday, August 29, 2022, Vice President Harris and Second Gentlemen Emhoff will travel to Kennedy Space Center, Florida and attend NASA’s Artemis I launch. The Vice President will deliver remarks and tour Artemis II and Artemis III mission hardware.