Artemis II and III: Updates from NASA

The Artemis I mission is now a “distant memory”. Engineers and technicians from NASA I am currently Busy In the assembly of the new SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will be used in the mission Artemis II And in development From the HLS (Human Launch System) spacecraft that will take astronauts to the Moon on this mission Artemis III.

Updates on the Artemis II and III missions

Based on the current roadmap (no new delays can be ruled out), the mission is… Artemis II It is scheduled for November 2024. The Orion spacecraft has already been assembled and the necessary work is underway Examwhile technicians and engineers from Aerojet Rocketdyne and Boeing installed the system The first of four RS-25 engines The first stage of the SLS rocket.

During the next few days, the other three engines will be installed, and then we will move on to the electrical and propulsion systems. During launch and flight, the four RS-25 engines (manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne) will remain running for approximately 8 minutes, consuming the propellants (liquid oxygen and hydrogen) in the two tanks at a rate 1,500 gallons (5,678 litres) per second. One of the four engines was used on 15 shuttle flights.

The Artemis 2 mission includes four astronauts, aboard the Orion spacecraft, who will reach the moon, but will not descend to the surface. Return to the moon will be completed with the mission Artemis III Currently planned for late 2025 (the spacesuit was introduced six months earlier).

Modified version of Starship By SpaceX (visible in image). NASA provided some of these over the weekend Information In ongoing tests on Raptor engines. SpaceX has proven that engines can be operated in extremely cold conditions.

The Starship HLS lander will remain in orbit around the Moon with its engines turned off for an extended period of time. The engines will be restarted to transport two astronauts to the Moon (the other two will remain on board the spacecraft). Lunar portal). More useful data will be delivered by SpaceX to NASA after the second Starship launch attempt.