Tag: Orion
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While NASA gets set for its first Artemis moon mission, Aerojet is working ahead
An artist’s conception shows the Orion spacecraft’s main engine firing during a lunar flyby, surrounded by eight of Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Redmond-built auxiliary engines. (NASA Illustration) REDMOND, Wash. — When NASA’s Space Launch System rocket sends an uncrewed Orion spacecraft beyond the moon and back for the Artemis 1 mission, the trip will put rocket components…
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Aiming for the Moon: Artemis I countdown begins for historic flight
The launch countdown for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Artemis I mission is underway at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of a planned liftoff within a two-hour launch window that opens at 8:33 AM EDT (12:33 UTC) on Monday, August 29. The launch count comes after more than a decade…
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Airbus highlights European Service Module work for Artemis
SLS is nearing its debut flight, with the Artemis I launch window opening this Monday at 16:33 UTC. But this launch is impactful beyond NASA and the United States. The European Service Module (ESM) will provide a wide range of services for Orion on its way to the moon, including propulsion and power. It is…
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Work on Orion capsules continue as Artemis I prepares to launch
With the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion currently at Launch Complex-39B and ready for the Artemis I launch to the moon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), additional work is progressing at the Agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility for other Orion spacecraft. NASASpaceflight’s Philip Sloss recently visited the facility and interviewed Tim Livingston, an Integrated…
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SLS arrives at LC-39B for launch, teams prepare for multiple launch trajectories
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket has left the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and completed its 4.2-mile (6.7-km) journey to Launch Complex 39B. The multi-hour rollout process resulted in a sunrise arrival at the pad. The rollout is the last major milestone ahead of launch, which will differ from…
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Orion teams ready for Artemis 1 as pre-launch preparations head into the home stretch
With the Artemis 1 mission just weeks away from launch, teams at NASA and the program’s contractors are carrying out final preparations for this major milestone in the effort to return humans to the Moon. NASASpaceflight sat down with Mike Hawes, the Vice President and Program Manager for Orion at Lockheed Martin to discuss how…
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NASA announces a challenging schedule for inaugural launch of its SLS moon rocket
A full moon shines above NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during pad testing on June 14. (NASA Photo) If all goes according to plan, NASA could launch its heavy-lift Space Launch System rocket on its first flight around the moon by as early as Aug. 29. That’s a big “if,” however: Workers at Kennedy Space…
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Artemis 1 launch team overcomes obstacles to complete WDR test objectives
NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) program and prime launch processing contractor Jacobs completed the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) countdown demonstration test for Artemis 1 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on June 20. The fourth run of the test “cut off” at T-29 seconds, several seconds before the desired stop time but after demonstrating the…
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SLS rolled back to VAB for final launch preparations
After a successful Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR), NASA Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) rolled back the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), which should be the last time this is performed before launch. The Artemis 1 vehicle will now undergo final readiness checks and launch preparations ahead of its debut flight…
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SLS readies for roll back to VAB; final launch preparations to begin
With Wet Dress Rehearsal successfully behind them, NASA will now roll the SLS rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for final launch preparations ahead of the historic Artemis 1 mission to send the Orion capsule on an uncrewed test flight around the Moon. While this milestone brings the SLS closer to launch, significant…