It’s been a long road, but NASA finally launched the first Artemis lunar mission late last year. The flight appeared to go off without a hitch from launch, to lunar orbit, to splashdown. The data NASA gathered from the uncrewed mission has been scrutinized over and over for the past few months, and now the agency can confirm Artemis 1 was a smashing success. The team plans to move forward with Artemis 2 in late 2024.
The Space Launch System (SLS) took years longer to develop than NASA initially projected, and the cost ballooned to more than $23 billion (about $5 billion more than early estimates). According to the analysis, the SLS flew precisely as designed. All its systems met and, in some cases, exceeded performance expectations. This rocket delivered the Orion capsule into the perfect orbit to get it to the moon.
Orion collected an impressive 155GB of data during the weeks-long mission. NASA says Orion successfully completed 161 test objectives while it looped around the moon. The ESA-built service module also passed the test with flying colors, generating 20% more power than expected while using 25% less. NASA plans to reuse some avionics components from Artemis 1 on Artemis 2. All these devices, including phased antenna arrays and GPS receivers, were successfully extracted and refurbished. These parts have now been loaded into the Artemis 2 Orion.
Engineers also took a close look at the Exploration Ground Systems, which includes the mobile launcher and tower that stabilize the rocket during launch. NASA reports that the launcher sustained more damage than expected from the 8.8 million pounds of thrust, but work is already underway to repair and strengthen the structure for Artemis 2.
Artemis I Post-Flight Heat Shield Inspections. Credit: NASA
NASA is still looking at two minor issues from Artemis 1, neither of which threatens the timeline for Artemis 2. First, Orion’s heat shield (see above) showed evidence of uneven wear. The team is examining the shield itself as well s data from hundreds of onboard sensors to understand the phenomenon. Orion also experienced some glitches in the power system, which caused current limiters to engage on their own. These parts are responsible for transferring power from the solar panels to other systems. Again, engineers are checking flight data in search of a cause.
Artemis 2 could launch as soon as November 2024. This will be the first crewed Artemis mission, featuring a lunar orbit but no landing. If all goes as planned. Artemis 3 will deliver the first humans to the lunar surface in more than 50 years when it launches in 2025.
Now read:
- NASA’s Artemis 1 Moon Capsule to Include Legos, Snoopy Pins
- NASA Auditor Reveals ‘Unsustainable’ Cost for SLS Launches
- NASA Report Says More Artemis Moon Landing Delays Are Inevitable
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