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An example of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) rocket booster is set down on a mobile launch platform as part of a training simulation. This weekend, the actual device will be unveiled by NASA engineers.(Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)ShareShare by:
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NASA’s inaugural endeavor to transport individuals to the moon for the first time in fifty years is getting increasingly closer.
The space exploration organization has revealed that the presentation of its Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket and Orion Module will commence Saturday (Jan. 17) at the earliest by 7 a.m. ET, leading up to a potential liftoff as early as Feb. 6.
Beginning its journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 11 million-pound (5 million kilograms) structure will be moved at a rate of approximately 1 mph (1.6 km/h) across a 4-mile (6.4 kilometers) distance — an undertaking projected to last as long as 12 hours and that will be broadcasted live on NASA’s Youtube channel.
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NASA’s Artemis II Crew Rollout Media Event – YouTube
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“We are progressing towards Artemis II, with the debut just nearby,” expressed Lori Glaze, the acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, in an announcement issued on Jan. 9. “We have significant procedures left on our course to liftoff, and the protection of our crew remains our utmost concern consistently as we approach mankind’s return to the Moon.”
A noteworthy venture to the moon
Artemis 2 marks the initial manned space expedition in the Artemis Program, with the objective to resend humans back to the lunar surface for the first occasion since 1972. Four astronauts will undertake a ten-day voyage surrounding the moon and then back to Earth, conducting tests on systems prior to the Artemis 3 mission, with the intention of landing astronauts onto the lunar landscape by 2028.
The completely assembled SLS awaits an inspection from the Artemis 2 astronauts within NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building
The Space Launch System stands as the most formidable rocket ever conceived. With a height of 212 feet (65 meters), its central stage has the potential to produce 8.8 million pounds (3.9 million kg) of force to propel the Orion capsule, situated on top, into the cosmos.
The quantity of over 700,000 gallons (2.6 million liters) of extremely cold propellant designated to deliver the rocket’s drive will undergo testing by NASA during a wet dress rehearsal toward the close of January. The preparatory assessment will additionally incorporate components such as a launch sequence, practice for removing the rocket’s propellant, along with safety protocols. If all unfolds as expected, NASA will thereafter implement an evaluation of flight-readiness before committing to an actual launch date.
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Should the rocket launch in February, it will be 15 months later than the original proposed timeline. NASA points out that this delay is attributed to the Orion capsule needing further preparation before it’s adequately secure to carry a crew of humans.
Notwithstanding these setbacks, NASA holds firm in its optimism that the Artemis endeavor will commence promptly enough to prevail against China in the quest to dispatch a crewed expedition to the moon. China has recently deployed rovers to both the moon and Mars and accomplished the building of its Tiangong space station back in 2022. Furthermore, the nation is heading up construction efforts for an International Lunar Research Station, which is predicted to reach completion around 2030.
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Ben TurnerSocial Links NavigationActing Trending News Editor
Ben Turner functions as a writer and editor based in the U.K. at Live Science. He provides coverage on physics and astronomy, tech, and climate change. He is an alumnus of University College London, having graduated with a degree in particle physics prior to undertaking training as a journalist. Outside of his writing commitments, Ben finds joy in reading, playing the guitar, and challenging himself with chess.
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