Tag: SLS
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Preview: NASA to unveil Artemis 3 crew, provide updates on mission
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft stand at Launch Complex 39B on Tuesday, March 31, ahead of the planned launch of Artemis 2. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now NASA is set to introduce the world to the four astronauts who will fly the Artemis 3 mission Tuesday morning. The announcement will take place at…
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Artemis III’s remaining solid rocket booster segments shipped from Utah to Florida
While there is some uncertainty regarding timelines and landers, the Artemis III mission — currently scheduled for the summer of 2027 — is being prepared for launch at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Northrop Grumman began shipping all eight remaining solid rocket booster segments for the mission’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Utah…
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Artemis III core stage assembly arrives at the Kennedy Space Center
Nearly one month after Artemis II’s historic launch with four astronauts flying by the Moon, processing for the next Artemis flight is making progress in advance of its scheduled 2027 flight. The core stage assembly – not including the engine section – for Artemis III arrived at the turn basin at the Kennedy Space Center…
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NASA Rolls Out Artemis III Core Stage April 20
When will NASA roll out the Artemis III core stage? NASA will roll the core stage for Artemis III from its Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Monday, April 20, marking a critical milestone for the mission that will return astronauts to the lunar surface. The core stage represents the top four-fifths of the…
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This is my third Orion launch, but it feels totally different
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla.—This will be the third time I have observed NASA’s Orion spacecraft take flight. But with this one, for the first time, am I genuinely hopeful about the future of the space agency and its plans to build a station on the surface of the Moon. The two previous flights, in 2014…
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Artemis II returns humanity to the Moon with launch on Wednesday evening
At 23:35 UTC on Dec. 16, 1972, the Apollo 17 command module, America, successfully completed its trans-Earth injection burn, sending it and its crew of NASA astronauts Gene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt, and Ronald Evans on a return trajectory back to Earth. The moment marked the final time a crewed Apollo spacecraft was in orbit around…
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Launch Preview: SLS, Falcon 9, Atlas V, and Soyuz launches comprise busy launch manifest
Nine launches are scheduled this week, with rockets expected to liftoff from Florida, California, Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. Most notably, NASA’s long-awaited Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch the first humans to the Moon in over 50 years on Wednesday. SpaceX has four Starlink missions scheduled for the week, with Falcon 9 launching two…
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America’s Rocket Factory comes Full Circle with Artemis
As NASA prepares for its long-awaited return of crewed launches beyond low Earth orbit with Artemis II, the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans has served as America’s premier rocket factory for more than six decades, spanning three major eras of human spaceflight. See Also Artemis Section L2 Artemis Click here to Join L2…
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NASA outlines Moon Base plans, pivots on Gateway
In a major shift announced during its “Ignition” event this week, NASA unveiled a detailed roadmap for establishing the first sustained crewed outpost on the lunar surface. The plan effectively pauses the long-planned Lunar Gateway orbiting station and redirects its resources toward infrastructure that supports long-term presence on the Moon itself. The announcement marks a…
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SLS enters pad flow ahead of historic Artemis II mission
NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft arrived at Launch Pad 39B after an approximately 10-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center. Crawler Transporter 2 (CT-2) carried the Moon rocket and its Mobile Launcher-1 (ML-1) back to the historic launch site after a slightly…