Chicago's Independent Space News Outlet
The Artemis I mission began with the launch of SLS rising like a second sun into the Florida sky. Liftoff occurred at 12:47 a.m. CST on November 16th, 2022, from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The light from the four RS-25 engines was so bright that SLS was visible in the…
On Wednesday, NASA announced new dates for the next launch attempt of Artemis I. After needing to roll SLS back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to avoid damage from Hurricane Ian, NASA says it can have SLS ready for launch by mid-November. Liftoff of Artemis I is now scheduled for Monday, November 14th, at 12:04…
At a Friday morning telecon, NASA discussed Wednesday’s cryogenic tanking test results. Mid-test hydrogen (LH2) began leaking from a quick disconnect seal again. Teams then implemented new procedures to manage the flow of LH2 into the rocket. They began first by stopping the flow of LH2 and allowing the seal to warm up and reseat…
Axiom Space won a NASA contract to develop Artemis spacesuits for the Artemis III lunar mission. The $228.5 million NASA contract gives Houston-based Axiom Space the task of designing and building the next-gen suits specifically for the job of moonwalking. The Artemis program involves human lunar spaceflight missions, with Artemis III being the mission that…
NASA’s Space Launch System, or SLS, is the most powerful rocket NASA’s ever built, designed to get us back to the Moon. SLS will launch astronauts in the Orion spacecraft, and NASA will use the SLS to lay the groundwork for Artemis missions that will pave the way to deep space exploration. This new rocket…
Now that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is on the launchpad, the final test before launch has begun, the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR). The WDR began after 4 pm CT or L-45 hours before the targeted test T-0. The WDR will allow the launch team to practice propellant loading operations, conduct a full launch…
Last week, NASA unveiled its new mega Moon rocket when it rolled out to the launch pad for testing and a wet dress rehearsal. When the Shuttle program ended, the focus within the agency became the Space Launch System and the Artemis program. Since 2011 the Vehicle Assembly Building, Mobile Launcher Tower, Crawler-Transporter-2, and launchpad…
NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), made its way to Launch Pad 39B last Thursday evening for final testing before launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon. The journey began at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), where the SLS rocket was assembled and “stacked” atop the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The Crawler…